Northern Lights Origins
Steve Murphy
In the mid-1970s, a skilled grower named Steve Murphy, who operated under the pseudonym "Murphy Stevens," began making waves in the burgeoning world of indoor cannabis cultivation. Based in Seattle, Steve was on the cutting edge of developing optimal methods for growing marijuana indoors. His expertise culminated in the publication of several influential books, beginning with How to Grow Marijuana Indoors Under Lights in 1975, followed by Indoor Marijuana Cultivation in 1977 and How to Grow the Finest Marijuana Indoors in 1979. These books not only disseminated his innovative techniques but also showcased his prized Afghani plants, which he fondly named “Purest Indica.” These genetics, believed to have been sourced from the Hippie Trail in the late 1960s, became the foundation for what would eventually be known as Northern Lights.
As Steve's reputation grew, he opened a shop called "Indoor Sun Sales" to cater to the needs of a growing community of cannasseurs who were eager to learn and acquire hydroponic equipment. This shop became a gathering place for like-minded individuals, forming what would later be known as the Northern Lights Crew. This tight-knit group of breeders and growers in the Pacific Northwest is credited with creating Northern Lights, a strain that would become a cornerstone of modern cannabis breeding. The original Northern Lights strain was born from inbreeding Steve's Purest Indica, with the goal of producing the most resinous plant on the market. While the resulting plant was indeed highly resinous, it lacked distinct flavors, leading the Crew to cross it with multiple father plants. These crosses were carefully categorized, with indica-dominant plants given lower numbers and sativa-dominant ones higher numbers, resulting in the legendary numbered variants of Northern Lights.
In the late 1980s, the DEA began Operation Green Merchant, a plan to shut down home-grow shops throughout the country and confiscate customer lists so that they could prosecute individual growers. Unfortunately, in 1989, Steve’s Indoor Sun Sale store was raided, and he was part of hundreds of arrests that took place over two years.
In 1991, a strain known as P91 emerged from San Diego. The name stands for Poway Class of 1991, originating from Poway, San Diego. It is often considered an inbreed of Northern Lights.
Greg Mcallister “Seattle Greg”
One of the key figures in the story of Northern Lights is Greg McAllister, known as "Seattle Greg." Greg, an enthusiastic grower himself, came across Steve’s book and was so inspired that he visited Steve’s store in Seattle. Their shared passion for cannabis cultivation led to a close friendship, and in 1979, Steve entrusted Greg with four seeds of his Purest Indica. Greg played a pivotal role in stabilizing Northern Lights and eventually introduced its genetics to Amsterdam, a city that would become central to the global cannabis market. In the early 1980s, Greg sent some Northern Lights seeds to the legendary breeder Nevil Schoemakers, who was so intrigued that he visited the Northern Lights Crew in the Pacific Northwest. By 1985, Nevil had returned to Amsterdam with Northern Lights seeds and a Northern Lights #5 clone, which would go on to become one of the most iconic strains in the world.
Herbie & Don "The Indian"
The Northern Lights Crew was a diverse group, each contributing unique genetics and expertise to the operation. One member, known as Herbie, introduced a Hawaiian Sativa into the mix, resulting in the creation of Northern Lights #5. Don, aka “The Indian,” is a legendary breeder who was part of the Northern Lights Crew. He bought his growing equipment from Steve and was given some Northern Lights seeds, which he brought back home. It is rumored that he lived on an island near Seattle where he had the privacy for growing operations. Don had been breeding his own Afghan genetics, which he dubbed “The Indian,” and decided to cross the Purest Indica with his Afghani plant. The result made him famous for creating the Northern Lights #2 strain, celebrated for their resin production and superior compatibility with indoor growing environments.
Nevil Schoenmakers
Once Nevil Schoemakers got his hands on the Northern Lights genetics, he would change the market. One of his most well-known creations was Northern Lights #5 x Haze. By the late 1980s, Northern Lights genetics had become a staple in Netherland cannabis along with Haze and Skunk #1. Northern Lights’ reputation was built on high resin production and superior indoor compatibility, two factors that were highly desirable in the 1980s and 1990s.
Conclusion and Summary
However, the thriving community faced a significant challenge in the late 1980s when the DEA launched Operation Green Merchant, a nationwide effort to shut down home-grow shops and prosecute individual growers. In 1989, Steve’s Indoor Sun Sale store was raided, and he was among hundreds of individuals arrested as part of this crackdown. In 1991, a strain known as P91 emerged from San Diego. The name stands for Poway Class of 1991, originating from Poway, San Diego. It is often considered an inbreed of Northern Lights.
Northern Lights' impact on the cannabis world is undeniable, with its genetic lineage forming the backbone of countless strains. From the Purest Indica inbreeding that produced the original Northern Lights to the various hybrids and numbered variants that followed, this strain’s history is a testament to the creativity and resilience of the cannabis community. It's important to note that while these stories provide valuable insight into the origins of Northern Lights, they are compiled from open internet sources and have not been independently verified.
