One of the first true online communities, The WELL, started in 1985 out of a converted Sausalito shipyard office — years before most people had heard of the internet.

Founded by Whole Earth Catalog creator Stewart Brand and physician Larry Brilliant, The WELL (Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link) was a dial-up bulletin board where members debated everything from music to parenting. Unlike most later forums, it banned anonymity — every post was tied to a real identity — which shaped a famously thoughtful, high-stakes conversational culture. It's still running today, making it one of the longest-lived online communities in existence.