Type: Legend
- “There is the holiday 4/20, when everyone smokes week (laughter). So apparently, 4/20 started near me, in San Rafael. A couple kids in San Rafael at San Rafael High School, would smoke everyday at 4:20. After lacrosse practice or something, they would go sit next to some statue, a statue of a person, some famous person I think. Yeah everyday after practice at 4:20, and ever since then 4/20 became a holiday. I don’t know how it became so famous but I heard that in Marin and in other parts of California, especially San Francisco, friends of friends started doing it.”
- I obtained this piece of folklore from my cousin Clay. Clay is a year older than me, and grew up in Mill Valley California, which is located in Marin County (just North of San Francisco). Marin County is nationally famous for its breathtaking natural elements (forest, beaches, lakes etc.), as well as being known as a more earthy, “hippie” place, in which San Rafael is also located. Clay heard this legend from friends at school, as well as siblings of friends. San Rafael is only about 20 minutes away from where Clay grew up, and he told me that he hears this legend all the time.
- This piece of folklore is usually passed throughout high school groups. I grew up about 45 miles south of San Rafael, and I heard a very similar story in my high school group of friends, as well as my siblings telling me. The legend is most popular on the actual holiday of 4/20, in which many people are curious to how the holiday became a holiday. No one really talks about when the holiday became a holiday, just that kids at San Rafael High School was the origin place.
- I have heard this legend numerous times and I firmly believe it is true. Even on Wikipedia it talks about San Rafael High School and some statue. Everyone in Northern California basically knows this piece of folklore, it is very common.