Arland Adams, Jr., Drug Paraphernalia Collection
name: label: Collector
content: Adams, Arland, Jr.
label: Donor
content: Boone, Cheryl A.
topic: label: Topic
content: Drug Paraphernalia
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Cheryl A. Boone to the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, in April 2024.
creator: label: Collector
content: Adams, Arland, Jr.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Arland Adams, Jr., Drug Paraphernalia Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection of ephemera documenting drug paraphernalia sold to head shops in the 1970s.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Arland Adams, Jr., was born April 15, 1949, in Richmond, Virginia. Following high school graduation, Adams joined the United States Navy where he served as a helicopter mechanic in Operation Deep Freeze in Antartica. After his honorable discharge in 1973, Adams returned to Berks County, Pennsylvania and bought a cabin, working as a self-employed entrepreneur and salesman.  

In 1974, Adams began working for the Upper Berks County Grain Company (UBC), a startup drug paraphernalia distributor. Adams was a part of the original 8-10 person company, working out of vans and homes alongside owners Linda Sarangoulis and David Gozowski. The company later moved to a warehouse in Elverson, Pennsylvania. By 1976, UBC became quite lucrative and was the second largest employer in Elverson. In the same year, a New York Times article ranked UBC third in paraphernalia distributors behind Adams Apple Distribution Company and the House of Ripps. 

At UBC, each salesperson was assigned to a region (Florida to Minnesota) where they sold merchandise and oversaw catalog order deliveries. Some examples of items sold are bongs, cocaine mirrors, pins, pipes, roach clips, rolling machines, rolling paper dispensers, rolling papers scales, smoking stones, snorters, spoons, and stash boxes. 

Adams worked throughout the New England Region, leaving the company in 1978. UBC closed the same year following internal company strife and the adoption of laws limiting the sale of drug paraphernalia. Adams passed away on a trip to the West Coast on April 9, 2016. He is buried in Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. 

Sources

Control File AC.1594, Archive Center, NMAH

Anthony Astrachan, "Pot Luck," New York Times, March 21, 1976.

Craig Orr, NMAH

Judy Chelnick, NMAH

Katherine Ott, NMAH
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.5 Cubic feet (6 boxes, 1 map folder)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1967-1981
label: Date
content: undated
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1594
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Calendars
label: Type
content: Catalogs
label: Type
content: Ephemera
label: Type
content: Newsletters
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is arranged in six series.

Series 1: Catalogs, 1971-1976, undated, series is arranged chronologically.

Series 2: Periodicals, 1976-1981, series is arranged alphabetically.

Series 3: Non-Chronological Reports and Guides, 1967-1978, undated, series is arranged alphabetically.

Series 4: Anthology, 1971-1976, undated, series is arranged alphabetically.

Series 5: Photographic Slides and Digitized Image Disk, 1973-1976, undated, series is arranged chronologically.

Series 6: Marketing Materials, 1975-1978, undated, series is arranged alphabetically.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Audrey Clancy, intern, July 2025, supervised by Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., archivist
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Calendars
label: Genre/Form
content: Catalogs -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Ephemera
label: Genre/Form
content: Newsletters
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 1970-1980 -- Color slides
scopecontent: label: Content Description
content: Collection of ephemera documenting drug paraphernalia sold to head shops and individuals in the 1970s as well as other materials from the drug subculture of the time, including calendars, posters, and newsletters.