Presidential Retreat: 1929

Some of it, anyway. Three remaining cabins, including Hoover's own "Brown House," were restored in the early naughties. It's about a two hour hike, with van service sometimes available from Skyline Drive's Big Meadows. It's worth seeing.

"The Revenuers bust the Clampetts."

Black Tuesday was just over two months from the date of this photograph.

Too many hangers on just standing around doing nothing. Cottages are for having fun!

It seems everyone (still dressed to the nines despite their being in a campground) is watching that ghostlike figure doing something around the barrel-chair.

In the early 70's I worked with an old brakeman who had been in the Army Air Corps in the late 20's/early 30's.

Old Ted told me about the time he and his pilot were detailed to deliver President Hoover's mail to his retreat in Virginia. They were given instructions how to get there, and were to drop the mail near a marker in a field near Hoover's Summer White House.

Unfortunately, Ted and his pilot were badly hung over after staying up late and drinking too much.

Loading the mail, they took off. They found the mark and, dropping Hoover's important mail, returned to the air field. The "mark" wasn't a mark at all, but a mostly white cow. (An honest mistake when you're bleary-eyed and hurting.)

No, they weren't sent down there anymore, and yes, they had trouble, but I'm happy to say Ted's behavior was sterling in the years I knew him.

in such a short time, in addition to Hoover Camp, there would be Hoovervilles springing up all over.

They all seem quite enthralled with whatever the ghost is doing.

A G-G-G-GHOST! (to quote every Casper cartoon ever made)