Monte Rio was a popular resort town in the 19thC, but might have faded from the map altogether were it not for the 2,700-acre Bohemian Grove, owned by the Bohemian Club, that keeps many locals in work. Founded by left-leaning San Francisco newspapermen in 1872, the Bohemian Club has since evolved into a secretive lodge for the nation’s richest and most powerful men. The club’s week-long Bohemian Days, each July, sees stretch limos and helicopters bearing the dignitaries who arrive for several days of (allegedly) nefarious activities, screened from ordinary folk by high walls, high-tech security sys­tems, and conspicuously muscular bodyguards.