What began in the 1930's as a quiet nudist camp in rural Indiana became an international phenomenon by the late 1970's. From 1968 thru 1986 Naked City was not only the worlds largest nudist camp according to the Guinness World Book of Records, it was also home of the world famous Miss Nude America pageant. Naked City was run by Dick Drost, a self-made millionaire who built his sex-media empire from the confines of his wheelchair. He was a savvy self-promoter & hustler whose skills rivaled those of P.T. Barnum, Larry Flynt, and the infamous Reverend Jim Jones. Yet despite his incredible fame & wealth he was almost assassinated, kicked out of the state of Indiana for a decade, and died penniless & alone.Much mythology has built up around Drost and Naked City over the years. He was featured in countless newspaper & magazine articles, and even a documentary film but up until now no one has told the whole story about this unique part of 1970's Americana. I have researched every article available, and interviewed numerous witnesses to write a detailed account of this lost piece of history. I also have a personal perspective to tell the story from, as my family attended Naked City during its heyday.
What began in the 1930's as a quiet nudist camp in rural Indiana became an international phenomenon by the late 1970's. From 1968 thru 1986 Naked City was not only the worlds largest nudist camp according to the Guinness World Book of Records, it was also home of the world famous Miss Nude America pageant. Naked City was run by Dick Drost, a self-made millionaire who built his sex-media empire from the confines of his wheelchair. He was a savvy self-promoter & hustler whose skills rivaled those of P.T. Barnum, Larry Flynt, and the infamous Reverend Jim Jones. Yet despite his incredible fame & wealth he was almost assassinated, kicked out of the state of Indiana for a decade, and died penniless & alone.Much mythology has built up around Drost and Naked City over the years. He was featured in countless newspaper & magazine articles, and even a documentary film but up until now no one has told the whole story about this unique part of 1970's Americana. I have researched every article available, and interviewed numerous witnesses to write a detailed account of this lost piece of history. I also have a personal perspective to tell the story from, as my family attended Naked City during its heyday.
