Stelle was founded in 1973 by the Stelle Group, a Chicago-based organization established by Richard Kieninger, a writer and teacher who also played a role in founding Adelphi, Texas. In the 1950s, Kieninger was a student of the Lemurian Fellowship in Ramona, California.[citation needed]
Its founders, who belonged to a recently formed group from Chicago, purchased farmland in the northern part of Ford County and developed a suburban-style community. Stelle initially operated as a private community.
In 1982, Stelle transitioned into a homeowner association and opened to the public. Following the transition, Stelle became notable for the incorporation of solar panels on many homes and residents' emphasis on cooperative enterprises.[3] The village has its own telephone company, providing telephone, television, and internet services. Additional community features include a community garden co-op, a tool co-op, and a weekly communal dinner. Stelle also hosts educational events open to the public.
