Atlas Obscura · People & society

Arlo Guthrie's 'Alice's Restaurant' Church Becomes Community Hub

The church that inspired Arlo Guthrie's famous ballad "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" has evolved from a quirky landmark into a vibrant community center and music venue.

The song, based on a true story of Arlo being arrested for littering, inadvertently put Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on the map and turned the former Alice's Restaurant into a tourist attraction. The actual residence of Alice and Ray Brock was the nearby church, originally built in 1829.

Arlo Guthrie purchased the church in 1991 and transformed it into The Guthrie Center, an interfaith house of worship. It now hosts a summer concert series, monthly open mic nights, community lunches, and a Thanksgiving dinner.

The center also features displays on contributions to the fight against Huntington's disease, a cause significant to the Guthrie family. Visitors can view musical instruments and stained glass, and see parts of the stairwell to the bell tower where Alice once lived, though the tower itself is inaccessible.

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