![]() The Hoovers visited Virginia in mid-January 1929 and settled on the Rapidan site by April. President Calvin Coolidge recommended that the government provide a “Summer White House” not too far away, where chief executives could spend the weekends in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. White House physician, Joel Boone, recalled that the Rapidan Camp was “one of the most relaxing places that I have ever known.”Īfter World War I, the work of being president expanded dramatically and extended summer vacations away from Washington, DC became impossible. Hoover also used the camp as an informal setting for planning sessions with his Cabinet and for private meetings with representatives of foreign governments. Here the Hoovers entertained family members, friends, Cabinet officers, and politicians for relaxing weekends of hiking, horseback riding, fishing, and conversation. The 13 rustic cabins that made up the compound were nestled into a natural mountain setting enhanced by rock gardens, waterfalls, and other stone structures. Secluded among the hemlocks on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, the 164-acre property was on the site where two small streams merged to form the Rapidan River. The camp provided Hoover and his wife much needed rest and recreation during the later difficult years, after the stock market crash in October 1929 signaled the beginning of the worst depression the nation had ever known. ![]() Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, bought the land for his summer weekend retreat in 1929, during the first peaceful days of his administration.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |