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Kurt Barthel is the father of the modern United States nudist movement. He began the American League for Physical Culture in 1929 with an ad, first in the leading German Nudist magazines published in Berlin by Robert Laurer “Lichtland” ( Light Land ) and “Lachendes Leben.” ( Laughing Life), then later in a newspaper seeking like-minded folks. The first organized nudist outing was held on Labor Day 1929. There were seven people in attendance, 3 women and 4 men, all but one between the ages of 20 and 27. The first outing was held in the Hudson Highlands in upstate New York. The American League for Physical Culture was organized in the fall of 1929. ALPC organization was the beginning of the American nudist movement. The American Sunbathing Association (now called the American Association for Nude Recreation or (AANR) was an outgrowth or spin off from ALPC.

Barthel founded America's first official nudist camp, Sky Farm in New Jersey, when nudists and nudism were not accepted at all by the American public, during the depression. Sky Farm continues to function as a member owned co-op club. See www.skyfarm.com

[edit] See also

• The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR)
• Clothes free organizations
• List of public outdoor clothes free places
• Naturism and Nudism
• Public nudity
• Skinny dipping
• The Naturist Society

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