By Gary Bennett
Located within Catoctin Mountain Park in northern Frederick County, Camp David is a rare national historic site that virtually no American ever gets to see.
Many visitors have been close to the secluded enclave — hiking at Cunningham Falls or traveling Route 77 near Thurmont — without ever laying eyes on it. Camp David spans roughly 125 acres and is protected by about 200 Marines on any given day. There is intentionally no signage directing visitors to its location.
Mysterious, perhaps, but every president since Franklin Roosevelt has used the camp for business or pleasure — more often the latter. Within its confines, presidents and their guests have debated world affairs and enjoyed golf, tennis, bowling, swimming, skeet shooting, horseback riding, basketball, wallyball or movie nights in a private theater.
Now more than 80 years old, Camp David began modestly. Completed by the Works Progress Administration in 1940, it was originally known as Hi-Catoctin and served as a federal retreat.
In 1942, Franklin Roosevelt sought relief from Washington’s humid summers, appropriated the retreat and renamed it “Shangri-La” after the fictional kingdom in “Lost Horizon.” Presidents have been showing off the site ever since, and more than 50 heads of state have visited.
The following stories come from Michael Giorgione, who served as Camp David’s commander under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, as recounted in his book “Inside Camp David.”
According to Giorgione, “One head of state, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, huddled there with President Roosevelt in 1943 to pore over plans for the invasion of Normandy. Since the camp is just a short drive from Thurmont, the leaders drove to the [now defunct] Cozy Restaurant so Churchill could see what a jukebox looked like. He handed the stunned owner some coins for the jukebox and bought a beer.”
Roosevelt enjoyed sitting on the porch, often with guests, sipping whiskey and smoking cigars. He even had an extra-wide door installed outside his bedroom, opening like a drawbridge, to allow him to exit quickly in his wheelchair in case of fire.
President Harry Truman seldom visited, preferring trips to Key West and the “Southern White House.” Even so, he added steam heat to the presidential lodge, allowing the retreat to be used year-round.
President Dwight Eisenhower was a frequent visitor and is credited with renaming the retreat after his grandson David, though it retains the official government name Naval Support Facility Thurmont. An avid golfer, Eisenhower built a compact four-hole golf course and enjoyed grilling steaks outside his cabin. He famously hosted Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev there in 1959.
Presidents Kennedy and Johnson used Camp David sparingly.
John F. Kennedy visited primarily for consultations with cabinet members, members of Congress and former President Eisenhower during the Cuban Missile Crisis and after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. He enjoyed swimming in the heated pool. Giorgione recounts an embarrassing incident in which overheated water left a sheen of melted asphalt on Kennedy’s face — an episode the president handled with humor.
Lyndon B. Johnson preferred his Texas ranch but Lady Bird Johnson loved Camp David’s flowers and peaceful setting. “I leave my troubles outside the gate,” she once said. Johnson nevertheless used the retreat for meetings with advisers about the Vietnam War.
President Richard Nixon was a frequent visitor, averaging about one visit every two weeks during his five years in office. He favored Camp David’s quiet during the Vietnam War and Watergate era and enjoyed tennis, bowling — often alone — and playing piano. Nixon was described by Giorgione as “stand-offish,” though “Mrs. Nixon was very nice.” Nixon made more modifications than any other president, including adding an hourglass-shaped pool at Aspen cabin and building Laurel, an entertainment cabin often featured in the media.
President Gerald Ford, by contrast, was remembered fondly. “He was a prince. He and his wife were great,” Giorgione wrote, adding that they were “just like you and me.” Ford often ate lunch with staff in the mess hall and enjoyed walking in the woods, followed by Secret Service agents. Betty Ford loved the flowers and regularly thanked those who tended them.
President Jimmy Carter spent limited time at Camp David but hosted its most consequential event — the Camp David Accords. In 1978, Carter personally moderated peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, leading to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty and a Nobel Peace Prize. Carter was described as cordial to staff, enjoyed woodworking and took walks with his daughter Amy.
President Ronald Reagan was a frequent visitor who recorded his weekly radio addresses from the camp. He especially enjoyed horseback riding and movie nights.
President George H.W. Bush often used humor in notes about camp maintenance. “Mike — the toilet in the presidential bathroom is not responding to presidential commands,” he once wrote to Commander Mike Berry. In 1992, Bush’s daughter Dorothy was married at Camp David — the first wedding held there. Bush installed a regulation horseshoe pit and enjoyed playing wallyball with staff.
President Bill Clinton visited infrequently, averaging only a few trips per year. He attempted, unsuccessfully, to broker a peace agreement between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 1993. The Clintons enjoyed walking the tree-lined paths.
President George W. Bush was a regular presence, spending hundreds of days at Camp David. He hosted foreign leaders, planned responses to the Sept. 11 attacks and enjoyed basketball and card games. Giorgione recounts Bush’s concern that his bed was uneven, prompting an exhaustive investigation — including Giorgione himself lying on the bed to test it. At the end of his second term, Bush refurbished the basketball court, Leatherwood, for incoming President Barack Obama.
President Barack Obama found Camp David exquisitely beautiful and hosted the Group of Eight summit there in 2012 after protests ruled out Chicago. A basketball enthusiast, he made frequent use of the court.
President Joe Biden visited about once every three or four weeks during his term, often bringing extended family. He enjoyed relaxing, playing games and occasionally hosting high-level policy discussions.
Donald Trump spent little time at Camp David, preferring Mar-a-Lago or his Bedminster property. “You know how long you’d like it? For about 30 minutes,” he once told a reporter. He did not host foreign dignitaries there and later canceled plans to host Taliban leaders.
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Camp David Presidents’ Day Quiz
Do Democratic or Republican presidents tend to visit Camp David more often? Answer: Republican presidents
Which president visited the most times? Answer: Reagan
Which president was most like “one of the guys” at Camp David? Answer: Ford
Which president hosted Camp David’s seminal event, the Camp David Accords? Answer: Carter
Which president installed the first golf course at Camp David? Answer: Eisenhower
Which presidents played basketball at Camp David? Answer: George W. Bush and Obama
Which president didn’t care for Camp David at all? Answer: Trump
Which president gave Camp David its current name? Answer: Eisenhower
Which president enjoyed bowling at Camp David? Answer: Nixon
Which president enjoyed playing wallyball at Camp David? Answer: George H.W. Bush