Greetings From Camp David: Where Presidents Kick Back And Relax (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

*Scroll down for photos and video*

On Sunday night, President Obama returned to the White House from a weekend trip to Camp David, where the first lady remains with daughters Sasha and Malia. This marks the family's third visit since the inauguration.

After the family's first visit in February, the president called the retreat "beautiful" and said "You can see during the summer it's going to be a nice place to spend a lot of time."

Camp David...just the name sounds fun. That's probably because its official name is the Naval Support Facility Thurmont, which probably sounds less like a place you'd want to go. The Catoctin Mountain Park, Maryland country home functions as a place for the president to find a little peace and quiet--and occasionally host foreign leaders, as Jimmy Carter did during a little-known negotiation process called the Camp David Accords.

Here's a little more history from WhiteHouse.gov: "Adapted from the federal employee retreat Hi-Catoctin, President Franklin Roosevelt established the residence as USS Shangri La, modeling the new main lodge after the Roosevelt winter vacation home in Warm Springs, Georgia. President Eisenhower subsequently renamed the institution in honor of his grandson David."

And like any good weekend retreat, Camp David remains a private place that the press has very little access to, and that remains part (or more than part) of its charm.

In this Voice of America News video on the history of Camp David, made in 2007, 80-something-year-old Thurmont town historian George Wireman, who's seen a few presidents come and go, says "One thing I'm very thankful for is that the community of Thurmont realizes the importance of Camp David, that it's a place for the President to go in private and relax. We have never in any way, shape or form commercialized on that idea. And that goes good with me."

Here's a look inside...or as inside as anyone's gonna get.

*Or see a slideshow of Presidents' non-Camp David retreats*

WATCH:

PHOTOS:

• • • • • • • •

David Eisenhower, grandson of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the camp's namesake, poses with Camp David sign.

Comments

[Speakchic]

That stuffy old place needs a makeover!

[Dr Independents Day]

funny, I was thinking the same thing. Reminds me of an old old lodge, lol.

[chili111]

Don't worry...I'm sure Barry will re-do it...

[yurbud]

Why do American politicians only work without ties at Camp David?

Any time I see someone wearing a tie, I assume they are part of the problem not the solution, or at the very least, they look like they care more about looking important than getting anything in particular done.

I've worked in two different industries, education and entertainment, where ties were the dividing line between people who did creative, productive work, and those who jammed things up.

[spartanmom]

does anyone else think Camp David is a dumb name?

Very sweet of Ike to name it after his grandson but it strikes me that naming such an important government installation after a private citizen.

Since the "Camp David Accords", I guess we are stuck with the name for another generation or so but I really do think it is a dumb name.

Disclosure: I live in the county where David Eisenhower was born so he is a bit of a native son. I have nothing personal against him or the political affiliations of his family

[Dr Independents Day]

what the heck else should you call it? I never liked the name either, but so what if it is named after a private citizen. Better than another military figure like Camp McCain or something, lol.

[pbhs1976]

I live just a few miles from Camp David and found it very easily on google maps. If you look at maps, it doesn't show up but switch to the satellite view and it's very easy to find. There's a small golf course and other features you can make out. Prez Clinton used to play golf in town and some of the families have been shopping in Frederick. Haven't seen the Obamas yet but I'm hoping.

[Imhotep40]

Back in 80's friends and I, while driving to a location along the Appalachian Trail for a day hike, got good a lost and to this day believe we stumbled on to an access gate to Camp David. As we drove we came to a chain link gate (no signs except for a "STOP" sign) where two armed military guards approached our vehicle and merely communicated "turn around" period. By their demeanor we knew not to ask for directions or an explanation of our present location, we just hightailed it out of there.

Can't tell you how we got there and probably couldn't ever find it again, but did find the trail.

[petphotos]

Have seen a stop sign in the area, across a road. No guards but might be the same sign. Great country!

[sonoffestus]

I am very happy our Presidents have a close place to get away from the public eye and relax, but frankly I think it looks like a sixties suburban "ranch" stuck in the woods. Pretty lame.

If it were me, I'd be hanging at a nice Maine or upstate NY fishing camp. A guide boat, fly rods and a ski boat for the kids to get in trouble with.

[spartanmom]

How about Kennebunck?

[maggiee]

That's what it looks like. That's not what it is. The White House doesn't look like it has 132 rooms either, but it does. They're trying to look rustic. It's a compound. The nicest thing about it is that it's like 15 minutes from DC by helecopter. The adirondacks are further

[militarymomforobama]

I have always been curious about CD. Is it just me, or is it weird to see an open pool in the dead of the winter?

[Hirnlego]

I'm more interested in the bohemian grove..

[MANK]

I think each president should be able to rename it when they are elected just as Eisenhower did in naming it after his grandson

[horsey]

something stopping them..?

[Bitsko]

Lord, what a lame article!

[ChaiKat]

A couple of weeks ago I was watching something on the history channel and Camp David was Shangri-la before Eisenhower changed the name. Here's some interesting information from the New World Encyclopedia:

First known as Hi-Catoctin, Camp David was originally built as a camp for federal government employees and their families, by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), starting in 1935, opening in 1938. In 1942, it was converted to a presidential retreat by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and renamed Shangri-La. Camp David received its present name from Dwight Eisenhower, in honor of his grandson, Dwight David Eisenhower II.[1]

Thank goodness the name was changed. Can you imagine hearing "The president arrived back from his vacation in Shagri-La?"

[eden4barack08]

LOL, talk about elitist.

[Opt1musPr1me]

Are there any available photos of the Obama's at Camp David?

[chili111]

He's only been POYUS for 60 days...Oh. I forgot. He's already been to Camp David 3 times....hehehe

[CarmanK]

OLD, BORING, swimming pool, a chef to make meals, surrounded by woods that are alive with the sounds of nature-sounds like a good place to relax, enjoy and replenish the soul. Obama has a lot of work to do, I am glad he has a place to excape, think and "smell the roses".

[kshawNCvoter]

oh thanks for this, it looks wonderful. Washington seems so cold, hard, old, fake, and overrated. i see why our president gets restless in DC, I think he can concentrate much better here.

[maggiee]

As a Washingtonian I can tell you, DC is none of those things....not the real DC anyway. Of course, most of the people who live in the real Washington have nothing to do with the Washington you see on TV. DC if beautiful and full of killer museums,, galleries, festivals and restaurants. There's a thriving music scene and more live theater venues per-capita than other city in the US besides New York. The National you-name-it is in DC. It's really cool...or can be if whoever is in power at the moment doesn't strangle the fun out of it on a whim while they're given the power of life and death over the city by their constituents in Iowa or where ever (the DC budget has to go through Congress, hence the "Taxation Without Representation' licence plates).

The worse things about DC are the traffic and the weather. The president doesn't have to worry about the traffic and the weather isn't much better in Frederick.

i'm sure where ever you are from isn't "cold, hard, fake and overrated" either, but I would never dream of insulting you by telling you it was.

[chili111]

I have to disagree with you somewhat. I find DC to be one of the rudest cities around. The people, that is..

[avraamjack]

As a Washingtonian I can tell you,Washington is cold, hard, old, fake, and overrated.

That is the generous and diplomatic description.

There are many good people here and many bad ones as well. Spend your tourist money someplace nice.
.

[HatingTheGame]

And where adult son's of presidents (and future presidents) P-A-R-T-Y!

http://www.google.co.in/search?rlz=1C1CHMB_en-GBIN305IN305&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Bush+taking+coke+at+Camp+David

[cw07920]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/02/AR2007010201359_pf.html