Evening star., 1932-11-19
CAMP
TOBE |NCLUDED|N
SHENANDOAH PARK
Hoover Deeds 165 Acres on
Rapidan River for
U. S. Project.
LAND is CONDEMNED;
CLEAR TITLES SOUGHT
Virginia Conservation Commission
Head to Complete Transfer With
Richey on Monday.

President Hoover's Rapidan River
camp is to become part of the proposed
Shenandoah National Park.
The now historic fishing rendezvous
in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Vir-
ginia witnessed notable international
conferences, outstanding among which
was that with Prime Minister Mac
Donald of Great Britain three years ago.
The Chief Executive and Mrs. Hoover
with many of their friends, have spent
many Summer week ends at the noun
tain retreat during their four years
occupancy of the White House. Now
it is to be incorporated into the great
public playground of the East. and will
be held in readiness for use by future
Presidents.
President Hoover has decided over the
165 acres purchased by him the first
Summer he was President, along with
the buildings erected upon this land,
and the necessary condemnation pro-
ceedings have been entered upon to
comply with legal requirements of the
State of Virginia and the Federal Gov
ernment for this tract to become part
of the park under the Federal Gov
ernment.
Condemnation Effected.
Already the condemnation proceed
ings necessary to meet VirginiaS laws
have been consummated through the
offices of the Virginia Conservation
Commission. The next step will be to
obtain clear title, preparatory to turn
ing it over to the Federal Government.
This particular tract. with other tracts
nearby, which have been used in con-
nection with the Presidents camp, but
which have been leased, will be con-
demned and taken over by the Federal
Government.
William E. Carson, chairman of the
Virginia Conservation Commission, who
has been personally attending to con-
demnation proceedings and preparation
of necessary titles, will call at the
White House Monday to work out with
Lawrence Richey, the Presidents secre-
tary details incident to completion of
this transaction. In letter to Chair
man Carson two years ago President
Hoover expressed the wish that his camp
be made available for future Presidents.
This letter of the Presidents was in
reply to one received from Mr.. Carson,
informing the President that the Rapi-
dan camp was within the proposed
park boundaries. but that the commits
sion had no intention of interfering
with the plans of the President for
making the camp his retreat during
his term of Office. At the time the
President made it known he intended
when he went out Of Office to deed the
property to the Government, so as to
make it part of the proposed park
and to suggest that it be maintained
for any of his successors in Office who
might care to journey to that section
for brief vacations or for the purpose
OF Summer conferences.
Road Built From Highway.
When President Hoover acquired his
165 acres of camp property that section
was virtually a mountain wilderness.
with only the toughest sort of trail
leading from the main highway. Since
then, with the assistance of the Ma
rines, who were stationed in that vi
cinity to serve as guards for the camp,
and units of Engineers from Fort Hum
phreys, a splendid road has been built
from the main highway at Criglersville,
at the foot of the mountain, to the
camp and on over the crest of the
mountain, connecting up with the
mountain highway. Also there has
been more than Is buildings erected on
the Presidents property water sup
ply and necessary electrical equipment
installed, and everything else provided
to make the spot comfortable and
attractive one 1t is understood that
various buildings and cabins, along with
the piping and electrical equipment,
could not be installed today at market
prices for less than 100000 Besides
the Presidents cabin, there are the
large mess hall. a so-called community
center, which has served as congre-
eating place for guests at week end
parties; the servants quarters and in
dividual cabins for the guests.
In 1929. when citizens of Madison
County. Va, gave large outdoor recep-
tion at Madison, Va, in honor of the
President and Mrs. Hoover. the former
in a brief speech then expressed the
hope that the proposed Shenandoah
National Park would soon become az
reality, and that his camp along the
headwaters of the Rapidan would be
a part of that park. Since then he hcS
taken the keeneSt interest in Advancing
for establishment of the
park
Besides the 165 acres purchased by
the President, there were several thou
sand other acres leased to be used in
connection with the camp. About 1900
acres Of this was for the use of the
Marines The remainder was along the
Rapidan and other creeks in the vicin-
ity to be utilized for fishing purposes.