Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-01

national forests, together with the
Seeretary's order,
Reserves in East allowing free use
e.. u of lands for sum-
mer homes, means
a recreation ground for all within
reach of many Of our largest cities.
Thus the Massanutten area in Vir-
GINA Is within ninety miles of Wash
ington, d. c. 1t is a splendid forest in
the Blue Ridge mountains, admirab bly,
adapted to the construction of summer
homes. Officers of the forest service in
washington are already planning a big
communal summer establishment in the
Massanutten forest, where they can
spend their vacations and week ends.
On the other side, the Monongahela
area Is within a hundred miles of
iiittsnurgh. Farther south. Richmond
shenandoah and Natural Bridge areas
sun farther south, in North and South
Saro!lna, the government has made its
heaviest purchases in the heart of one
oi the nnest mountain regions in the
United States. Pisgah national forest
Is In the region of Asheville and the
famous Biltmore estate. Already some
lar-Seelng persons are making their
plans to obtain summer home rights
IN TINS. which will undoubtedly be one
or the most populous of the national
forest summer colonies.
Ihere is no need to tell the people of
the west about the advantages of the
national forests for summer homes, or
about the boon which this order has
conferred upon them. For many wears
hundreds Of thousands Of them have
been going to the national forests every
summer. Thus in the Angeles forest,
near Los Angeles. Cal, such is the
rush Tor summer homes on Uncle Sam
mat the forest service is laying off
the most attractive bits of land in
fve-acre tracts as rapidly as possible
In these western forests there are al
ready many summer homes. Some Of
these have been built under the old
reVocable free-use permits, which,
nent improvements. as they might be
revoked at any time. Others obtained
bits OF land by buying from settlers
who had obtained their holdings be-
lore the national forests were created
Some of these early ventures show
how easily and cheaply a summer home
on a national forest
summer Home may be obtained. It
an Economy. agge sratt' to "a" s shy
that in this way the summer vacation,
instead OF becoming a burdensome ex-
pense, may actually be made an econ
omy. For example, a lawyer of mod
crate means In southwestern town
obtained a small bit of land on a ma
tional forest few miles from his
home.
From the forest service he obtained
the right to cut quaking aspen logs for
the construction Of his house. From
this timber neat little cottage with
five rooms was built and furnished for
an elevation of about 5000 feet in a
beautiful region of spruce and pine
timber. One trout stream, well stocked
was within hundred yards. and there
were four others within a radious of
few miles. Deer, grouse and wild
Yet throughout the summer a rural
free delivery route brought a mali
every day. thirty miles from the rail-
road. This mans family obtained
bakers bread by parcel post. and the
New York papers every day; yet at
the back door lay a wilderness as wild
as any in America.
Eggs and butter and some fresh vege-
ables were obtainable from ranch a
few miles away. Fish during the sum-
mer and game during the fall supple
mented the bill of fare. The require
ments as to dress are. of course. I'M
conventional in the extreme. Living
was anything but expensive.
II the site that you choose for sum
mer home is reached by a wagon road
and within reach of a small sawmill.
both of which conditions are fulfilled
on most national forests, you may con-
struct a perfectly adequate house for
q ridiculously small sum. The forest
Service will sell you the logs at a
nominal rate. Thus two young men
who wanted to spend their summers in
the mountains had built one-room log
cabin with galvanized iron roof at
an expense Of little more than 500.
The forest service is now contem-
plating a recreation reconnaissance"
of the NATIONAL
Forest Service forests. 1t has
=, already gotten out
Furnishes Maps. some maps which
indicate the nature Of the scenery and
the quality of the hunting and hshing
These will be supplemented by infor
nation as to the accessibility of the
various forests. the cost of food sup
plies in the neighborhood, and all other
that prospective summer
dweller could desire. The American
citizen. planning to build a summer
home, will need but to address the for
est service for this information.
Sitting in his armchair at home, he
can select a location within reach of
his home that will meet all the re-
quirements of a satisfactory vacation.
If he can afford a month off in the
summer. there is no reason why he
should consider a summer home beyond