Camp David Presidential Retreat: Book, Clinton, Carter, Eisenhower, History (1998)

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Camp David is the country retreat of the President of the United States. It is located in wooded hills about 62 miles (100 km) north-northwest of Washington, D.C., in Catoctin Mountain Park near Thurmont, Maryland. It is officially known as Naval Support Facility Thurmont and because it is technically a military installation, staffing is primarily provided by the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. First known as Hi-Catoctin, Camp David was built as a camp for federal government agents and their families by the WPA. Construction started in 1935 and was completed in 1938.[4] In 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt converted it to a presidential retreat and renamed it "Shangri-La" (for the fictional Himalayan paradise). Camp David received its present name from Dwight D. Eisenhower, in honor of his father and grandson, both named David. Camp David is not open to the public, and Catoctin Mountain Park does not indicate the location of Camp David on park maps due to privacy and security concerns. Every president since Franklin D. Roosevelt has made use of Camp David. Roosevelt hosted Sir Winston Churchill in May 1943.[6] Dwight D. Eisenhower held his first cabinet meeting there on November 22, 1955 following hospitalization and convalescence required after a heart attack suffered in Denver, Colorado on September 24.[7] John F. Kennedy and his family often enjoyed riding and other recreational activities there, and Kennedy often allowed White House staff and cabinet members to use the retreat when he or his family were not there. Lyndon B. Johnson met with advisors in this setting and hosted both Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt and Canadian Prime minister Lester B. Pearson there. Richard Nixon was a frequent visitor and did much to add to and modernize the facilities. Gerald Ford often rode his snowmobile around Camp David and hosted Indonesian President Suharto there.[8] Jimmy Carter brokered the Camp David Accords there in September 1978 between Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.[6] Ronald Reagan visited the retreat more than any other president. In 1984, Reagan hosted British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.[9] George H. W. Bush's daughter, Dorothy Bush Koch, was married there in 1992, in the first ever wedding held at Camp David.[citation needed] Bill Clinton used Camp David more as his tenure in office progressed and hosted the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, on several occasions in addition to numerous celebrities. George W. Bush hosted dignitaries, including President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, there in 2003.[10][11] and hosted British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, in 2007.[12] George W. Bush also hosted Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen in June 2006.[13] Barack Obama chose Camp David to host the 38th G8 summit in 2012.[14] President Obama also hosted Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at Camp David.[15] Barack Obama hosted the GCC Summit at Camp David in 2015. On July 2, 2011, an F-15 intercepted a small two-seat passenger plane flying near Camp David, when President Obama was in residence. The civilian aircraft, which was out of radio communication, was intercepted approximately 6 miles (10 km) from the presidential retreat. The F-15 escorted the aircraft out of the area, and it landed in nearby Hagerstown, Maryland, without incident. The civilian plane's occupants were flying between two Maryland towns and were released without charge.[17] On July 10, 2011, an F-15 intercepted another small two-seat passenger plane flying near Camp David when President Barack Obama was again in residence; a total of three planes were intercepted over this July 9 weekend. Admiralty House, official Sydney residence of the Governor-General of Australia Beidaihe, used as a seaside retreat by senior officials of the Communist Party of China until 2004 Blair House, another official White House lodging for guests Camp Misty Mount Historic District and Camp Greentop Historic District, built at the same time in Catoctin Mountain Park as Camps 1 and 2. Chequers, the country retreat of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Chigi Palace, official residence of the Prime Minister of Italy Harpsund, official country residence for the Prime Minister of Sweden Harrington Lake, official country retreat for the Prime Minister of Canada Kirribilli House, official Sydney residence of the Prime Minister of Australia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_David