Video - History of Camp David

1959 Guidebook to Camp David

1959 Guidebook to Camp David

The Eisenhower Presidential Library has a Camp David page containing photos and interesting links to documents related to Camp David.

The above guidebook describes a 1959 Camp David with four guest cabins in the White House Staff area: Sycamore, Hawthorn, Walnut, and Laurel.  It also includes a description of recreational facilities available and some photos of the guest cabins.



Source:  Eisenhower Presidential Library

Movies

Movie theater in Hickory Lodge - May 2001 (National Archives)

Movies are shown in several locations around Camp David.  President Eisenhower enjoyed watching movies in the Aspen Lodge and had a projection booth installed along with a motorized screen that retracted into the living room ceiling.   Eventually, the use of VCRs and DVD players replaced the need for the projector.  However, when President Reagan was in office, he still preferred using the film projector at Aspen over the VCR and enjoyed watching old movies from the 1930s and 1940s. The Ronald Reagan Presidential library has a list of all of the films he viewed while in office including 344 movies at Camp David! 

President Reagan and Nancy Reagan watching "Lord Jim" in 1985 (Reagan Library)

 

 

Movies are also shown at a small theater inside the Hickory Lodge. The 2007 book What A Party! describes a 1998 "Good Will Hunting" screening weekend at Camp David attended by a group including Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Robin Williams, and Gwyneth Paltrow.  After having dinner at Laurel Lodge,  the group headed off in golf carts to the theater in Hickory where "everyone sits on couches or overstuffed chairs and in the front row are two love seats."  

Hillary Clinton writes in her memoir that her daughter Chelsea and a "busload of friends" celebrated her 16th birthday at Camp David.  Following a birthday dinner at Laurel Lodge, they headed over to Hickory to watch movies and go bowling.

During the 1978 Camp David peace negotiations, a movie projector was set up in Holly and 58 films were shown there over the 13-day summit.  Laurel Lodge also has a big-screen TV.

When Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev met with President Eisenhower at Camp David in 1959, the two leaders watched a U.S. Navy movie about the nuclear submarine Nautilus; they also watched a Western. The following is a list of movies that were available for viewing during that visit:

From the "Camp David Operation Plan 2-59"

Presidential diaries also give us a glimpse into the movie-watching activities at Camp David.  Here are some entries from Richard Nixon's diary over two weekends in September 1970 and Jimmy Carter's diary from 1977.

Excerpts from President Richard Nixon's Daily Diary - September 1970

Excerpt from the Daily Diary of President Jimmy Carter

Sources:  The President is at Camp David;  What A Party!; Living History; Time; Eisenhower Presidential Library; Nixon Presidential Libary; Jimmy Carter Library; Ronald Reagan Library; National Archives

Horseback Riding

President Kennedy, son John Jr., and daughter Caroline - March 1963

President Kennedy began using Camp David regularly in the Spring of 1963.  He had a bridle path cleared along the inside of the camp perimeter fence and a pony ring built for his daughter Caroline's pony, Macaroni. A stable was also built for the horses that First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy had arranged to be transported to the camp.

This 1963 newspaper article about a Presidential visit to Camp David reports that President Kennedy's helicopter "landed on a recreation field which had been temporarily converted into a riding ring for Mrs. Kennedy and five-year-old Caroline".

Susan and Steve Ford and friends rode horses at Camp David over Labor Day Weekend in 1974

The Reagans also enjoyed riding horses at Camp David.  However, President Reagan was reportedly "appalled" to find that Richard Nixon had paved over many of the old riding trails so that he could ride around in a golf cart instead.  Reagan had the trails restored and the National Park Service rangers brought  in horses from nearby stables.  Over time, the Reagans extended their rides to include some trails outside the camp perimeter fence.

                          President Reagan in 1983                                 Riding with Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo in 1981

President Reagan and Vice President Bush ride horses at Camp David in July 1981

President and Mrs. Reagan, son Ron Reagan and wife Doria - October 1983

July 1984

In the book The Reagan Diaries, President Reagan wrote on October 3, 1981:

"Windy & cold but we rode & for the first time went out a back gate into the Catoctin National Forest. Followed an old road that led to a stone ruin of what was a summer hotel in 1933 when the lady owner Bessie Darling was murdered by her doctor boyfriend. During World War II it was used for briefing foreign intelligence officers. It's a tumbled ruin now." 

I wanted to see if I could find the path President Reagan took that day out the back gate at Camp David to the ruin of the old hotel. According to the National Park Service website, Bessie Darling ran the old Valley View Manor. They have a map on their website that shows the location. A quick check on Google Earth revealed the Camp David back gate and a path that led into the direction of the old Valley View Manor.  Below are some screen shots that show the back gate, the path to a clearing, and the ruins of Bessie Darling's house.

Camp David back gate

Trail leading out the back gate to a clearing. The Valley View Manor ruins are further past the clearing

I came across an interesting blog post written by someone who hiked to the Bessie Darling house on the Halloween anniversary of her murder. It is difficult to view the actual ruins on Google Maps since they are in a heavily wooded area. But who needs Google Maps when you have photos of the actual site?

          Bessie Darling's house - The Valley View Manor                                        Ruins of the house in 2008

The path from Camp David to the clearing is easily visible. The old road that President Reagan rode on past the clearing to the Bessie Darling House is obscured by trees. I could not find any documentation on the clearing or whether it is related to Camp David or not. Below are some close-ups of the clearing on Google Maps and Bing Maps.

Close up view of the clearing - from 2007 Google Maps

The 2007 image above shows the clearing on the way to the Valley View Manor. There appears to be a  building on the left (see closeup view from different angle). The same area displayed in a more recent Bing Map below looks like there might be some construction going on in the area of the clearing.

View from Bing Maps - March 2012

I went back to Bing Maps a month later and noticed that the map image had changed and a prominent paved path leading to the back gate at Camp David was now visible.

View from Bing Maps - April 2012

Sources:  John F. Kennedy Library; Ronald Reagan Library; Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library; The President is at Camp David; From Mount Vernon to Crawford; Camp David Tour; Sarasota Herald-Tribune; The Modesto Bee; The Reagans: Portrait of a Marriage;  The Reagan Diaries; National Park Service; Mongoose of Mystery; Google Earth; The White House

Chestnut and Eucalyptus Cabins

Chestnut Cabin in 1956

Chestnut

Chestnut cabin is located near the Hickory Lodge. According to the Camp David Tour site, the Chestnut cabin originally housed the 24-hour telephone switchboard.  The staff who operated the switchboard also lived in the cabin. The only other reference I found to Chestnut cabin was in The President is at Camp David. The book describes Chestnut during the Ford Administration as a place you could obtain cribs, strollers, and high chairs.

Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is the medical cabin / infirmary at Camp David and was built during the Carter administration.  It replaced the original camp dispensary which had to be torn down because of structural problems caused by years of moisture damage and termites.

In 1991, President Bush experienced shortness of breath while jogging at Camp David.  He was taken to Eucalyptus for an examination where it was discovered he had suffered an atrial fibrillation, which is a rapid irregular heartbeat. He was later flown to the Bethesda Naval Hospital for additional tests.  First Lady Barbara Bush describes this incident in her book Barbara Bush: A Memoir.



Sources:  New York Daily News; The President is at Camp David; Camp David Tour; Barbara Bush: A Memoir; The New York Times; U.S. Navy; Jimmy Carter Library

Hiking and Biking

Camp David has numerous winding paths that connect all of the guest cabins, lodges, and camp facilities. Many guests have enjoyed riding bikes or taking long strolls on these paths.

There is also a nature trail that starts near the entrance and winds its way around the camp as shown on this 1971 map. This newspaper article describes how President George H.W. Bush used to enjoy running on the nature trail with his dogs.

Laura Bush, in her book Spoken from the Heart, recalled walking a two-mile perimeter trail with a steep hill at the end that she nicknamed "Big Bertha".

During the Camp David peace negotiations, President Carter would often ride his bike around camp and President Sadat would go for a long hike every morning.

Bikes are a convenient way to get around the camp and are readily available to guests.  This 1979 newspaper article describes an incident when Carter advisor Clark Clifford tried his hand at riding a bike for the first time in many years. Having never used modern-day hand brakes, he tried to stop on the way down a steep hill but only ended up pedaling backwards until he finally had to bail out in the dirt.

Here are some photos of hiking and biking at Camp David over the years.

President and Mrs. Ford, daughter Susan, and Liberty take a walk around Camp David  in August 1976

President and Mrs. Carter go for a bike ride at Camp David

 President Carter talks to members of the Israeli delegation;     Presidents Carter and Sadat go for a walk.                   

The Carters take a stroll in April 1978;  President Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in November 1986

President Bush and Prime Minister Rasmussen of Denmark ride bikes; President Bush and Prime Minister Abe of Japan 

President and Mrs. Bush take a four mile walk around Camp David with Marvin Bush, Andy and Kathleene Card -  2002 

Sources: Spoken from the Heart; Eugene Register-Guard; Lakeland Ledger; The President is at Camp David; Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library; Jimmy Carter Library; Ronald Reagan Library; White House; National Archives

Walnut, Hawthorn, Sycamore, and Linden Cabins

Walnut cabin in 1962

Walnut, Hawthorn, Sycamore, and Linden cabins were original cabins that were rebuilt in 1956, with indoor plumbing installed. Walnut was the largest of the four cabins with two bedrooms, a lounge, and a bath.  The other three were one-room cabins with a bath. If you look at the Google Maps satellite view of the cabins below, you can see that some of them have since been rebuilt/enlarged since these pictures were taken. 

Hawthorn cabin in 1962 (the original Laurel cabin - now called Holly - is on the right)

Sycamore cabin in 1962 (Linden cabin is in the background)

Linden cabin in 1961

The four cabins are part of a group of guest cabins located near the Laurel Lodge.  Below is the berthing assignment list from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev's 1959 visit that includes the four cabins.

Page from the Camp David Operations Plan 2-59

Google Maps satellite view of Walnut, Hawthorn, Sycamore, and Linden cabins

Sources:  Camp David Tour; U.S. Navy; Eisenhower Presidential Library; John F. Kennedy Presidential Library; Google Maps

Horseshoes

President Bush and Australian Prime Minister Hawke pitch horseshoes at Camp David - June 1989

President George H.W. Bush had a horseshoe pit built at Camp David in 1989 much to the delight of the horseshoe industry.  However, pitching horseshoes has been an activity available at Camp David ever since the Eisenhower era as shown on page 3 of this Guidebook to Camp David from the Eisenhower Library.

Presidents Bush and Gorbachev - June 1990

In June 1990, President Bush hosted Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev at Camp David.  While touring the camp, they stopped and pitched some horseshoes.  It was reported that Gorbachev's first toss was a ringer.

President Bush had the lucky horseshoe mounted on a plaque and presented it to President Gorbachev at dinner that Saturday evening.  Later, it was discovered that a second horseshoe had gone missing after the Soviets had departed.

Mrs. Gorbachev and Mrs. Bush were also spotted playing horseshoes on that visit.

President Bush's pitching style has been described as "one that is recommended for picnic-level players".

 A detailed description of his technique can be found in this 1996 newspaper article.

President Bush and British Prime Minister John Major - June 1992

The Camp David Tour website describes a clearing between the Presidential and staff areas of the camp where recreational activities such as volleyball, badminton, archery, and horseshoes have been located.
The two Google Maps below shows a clearing area and what could be the horseshoe pit.

Clearing between the Presidential and staff areas of the camp

Closer view of possible horseshoe pit

Sources: George Bush Presidential Library; Camp David Tour; Chicago Tribune; Los Angeles Times; The New York Times;  Rome News-Tribune; Eisenhower Presidential Library; Google Maps

Rosebud Cabin

Rosebud cabin (from CBS News video - 2021)

Rosebud cabin was built in 1958.  As you can see on this map, it is located near Cedar cabin, the Camp Commander's residence, away from all of the other guest cabins.

In 1959, when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev visited Camp David, the Rosebud cabin was used to house agents from the U.S. Secret Service and the Soviet Security team. The graphic below shows the Rosebud cabin being assigned to security personnel for the Khrushchev visit. The list came from the Camp David Operations Plan for that visit.

Cabin Assignments for 1959 Khrushchev visit

Likewise, for the 1973 Brezhnev visit, the "traveling heads of the U.S. Secret Service and Russian Secret police shared a cabin in the pines called Rosebud" according to this June 21, 1973 newspaper article.

Early photo of Rosebud cabin

 

CBS News interviewed First Lady Jill Biden at Camp David in December 2021. Here are some screenshots from the video:

Inside Rosebud cabin

Rosebud cabin location

Google Maps satellite view of Rosebud cabin.  The larger Cedar cabin is on the left. 

Sources:  Camp David Tour; Eisenhower Presidential Library; The Free Lance-Star; Google Maps, CBS News