In the 1980s, a commune was set up in an isolated region of Oregon. Followers of the spiritual leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh moved from India to a 64,000-acre plot of farm land and soon developed their own community, much to the vexation of the locals. Over time, tensions arose between the two groups, leading to an incident which has since been dubbed the Rajneeshee bioterror attack.
The community, named Rajneeshpuram, had a population of roughly 2,500, however, the population would often swell to around 15,000 during festivals. On the land there was a hospital, water and sewage service, a police force, and even a shopping mall. However, local Oregonians took issue with how land on the former ranch was being used.
