Prince William Forest Park Administrative History

June 16, 1939

TECHNICAL REVIEW

Branch of Plans and Design

SUBJECT: ERA - Virginia LD-6, Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area - Interior Road System.

Following is an analysis of what seems to be the two most logical solutions to the problems involving the construction of an Interior Road System at the Chopawamsic Recreational Area, Virginia. After four years of construction this important problem is still unsolved and as a consequence the park is without residences to house the operating staff. Also a permanent service group cannot be constructed until the road system is fixed. The development program has reached the point where it is necessary that this interior vehicular circulation and control system be determined.

The attached prints of Drawing No. 9182A have been marked in colored crayon to graphically show the two seemingly most logical solutions.

Blue Line: Interior road system suggested by the Washington Office under date of March 8, 1939, and further described by Project Manager Hall in his report of June 2, 1939.

This system is predicated on the ultimate acquisition of the present privately owned interior tracts of land and the desired protective property along the entrance road from Dumfries.

When the private interior holdings are obtained, desired one point control to the entire park, including both the White and Negro developments, will be possible.

For purposes of control it will be desirable to continue to use the Dumfries-Manassas entrance (yellow line) to the Negro Organized Camps until the Federal Government has obtained the privately owned properties within the park.

Should the Negro Public Use Area be developed before the interior properties have been secured, separate control will have to be maintained to that development.

It appears that the zoning of uses in the White Public Use Area will be adversely affected, it being possible that developments will have to be installed on both sides of the road to the organized camps. This cannot be definitely determined until a detailed study or layout plan is made.

A gated interior protection and maintenance truck trail (orange line) is desirable to facilitate communication between the two sections of the park pending the time when all properties required to allow proper function of the entire road system, outlined in blue, have been purchased.

Green Line: Independent systems for White and Negro developments with widely separated points of entrance and two points of control with an interior protection and maintenance truck trail (orange) providing vehicular connection between the two areas.

The advantage of this system is that it will permit the building of all the roads immediately which in turn will allow construction of the utility or service groups, custodian's and caretaker's residences, and contact stations. This system is now in use.

Since there seems to be no immediate prospects of the Federal Government acquiring either the privately owned interior tracts or the rather expensive property at the Dumfries entrance, this road system possesses points of merit that should not be passed without due consideration. (See Project Manager Hall's report on June 2, 1939.)

The developments along both roads from U. S. Highway No. 1 to these two entrances are at present and probably will always continue to be unpark like in character. It is logical to assume that eventually the Triangle-Joplin Road will be improved in alignment, etc.

Brown Line: Scenic drive over the U. S. Marine Corps Reservation which is desirable if separate entrances to the White and Negro developments are established. (Road system outlined in green.)

In granting permission to construct this road over the Marine Corps' property the Navy Department has stipulated that it be used by park traffic only. To prevent its use by the public generally will require the services of two additional attendants, the expense of which is hardly justifiable.

V. R. Ludgate,
Regional Landscape Architect

By W. T. Ammerman,
Associate Landscape Architect

WTA:KS