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Letter Proposing Incorporation of Camp Rapidan Into the Shenandoah National Park.

August 07, 1929

[Released August 7, 1929. Dated August 2, 1929]

My dear Mr. Carson:

I have received the title deed for 164 acres of land for the camp site in the Shenandoah Mountains. This camp has come to have some public aspects due to the many contributions in its making. As I told you some months ago, I should like to put it in permanent form for the use of my successors. Moreover, as it lies in the area of the future Shenandoah [p.247] National Park, when the park becomes public property it will be desirable that no private property should be held within its boundaries.

It is difficult to acknowledge all of the generous contributions to the making of the camp. You selected the site, and through you, the residents along the Rapidan deeded their fishing rights. The Marine Corps generously volunteered to furnish the labor in erecting cabins and tents, in providing water supply, cutting brush, etc. The Power Company and the Telephone Company put in their connections without charge, making it possible for us to secure these services. The Shenandoah Park Association, together with the State of Virginia, and especially the Madison County supervisors, have advanced the improvement of the road which will form one of the fine openings to the new park. Local residents have contributed labor to the opening of fine trails. And this week the Engineer Corps volunteers to further improve the road as one of its summer exercises.

All this marks the greatest of interest and kindness in a desire to provide a week-end retreat for the President, for which your own energies in organizing these activities have not been the least of contributions.

My contribution has been the purchase and preparation of the building materials, etc., together with some labor costs. I desire that the camp shall ultimately become the property of the Shenandoah National Park so that at the expiration of my term of office, they may hold it for the use of my successors for a week-end camp, or if future Presidents do not wish to avail themselves of it, it is at the disposal of the park itself. Therefore, I would be glad to either deed it now or await the transfer of the park to the Federal Government, whichever you think best.

Yours faithfully,

HERBERT HOOVER

[Mr. W. E. Carson, Riverton, Virginia]

Note: William E. Carson was chairman of the Virginia State Conservation and Development Commission.

Herbert Hoover, Letter Proposing Incorporation of Camp Rapidan Into the Shenandoah National Park. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/212312

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