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Behind the gates of Camp David—where presidents find solitude, forge diplomacy, and shape history in absolute secrecy. The Presidential Retreat Camp David is shrouded in mystery, and rightfully so. The hidden retreat atop the Catoctin Mountains is the one place the President, First Family, and invited guests can gather in absolute secrecy for relaxation, rejuvenation, and world-changing decisions. Because of this dedication to privacy, and a desire to maintain the mystery and exclusivity of the last bastion of solitude for the President, few comprehensive accounts exist detailing the storied history of Camp David and the role the “Spirit of Camp David” plays in world affairs.
Presidential Seclusion provides an exclusive account of the mysterious and storied retreat. Extensively researched from Presidential Archives as well as from the pages of Presidential memoirs, this non-partisan, informative account weaves exclusive stories into a tapestry revealing the importance of Camp David on diplomacy and world history. Written by the former Camp David Historian, this personalized tour of the exclusive retreat makes tree-shrouded trails, majestic vistas, and rooms where history happened over the last 80 years accessible to everyone. As you read, the “Spirit of Camp David” is revealed to infuse everyone who works and visits the President’s private mountain retreat, mainly how Camp David personally affected its primary guests, the fifteen First Families fortunate to call the private retreat a second home.
List of contents
ForewordIntroductionChapter 1: Shangri-La
Chapter 2: Voice of the President
Chapter 3: Uncertainty
Chapter 4: Cold War Diplomacy
Chapter 5: Marines Land
Chapter 6: Tragedy
Chapter 7: Working Retreat
Chapter 8: Hideout
Chapter 9: Recovery
Chapter 10: Peace
Chapter 11: Seclusion
Chapter 12: Family
Chapter 13: Evergreen Chapel
Chapter 14: White House Annex
Chapter 15: 9/11
Chapter 16: Summits
Chapter 17: Continuing Legacy
Bibliography
About the author
Charles Ferguson spent three and a half years as the Camp David Historian and Presidential Chaplain. During that time, he coordinated with fourteen Presidential Libraries to better tell the true story of the President’s exclusive mountaintop retreat, scouring records and memoirs for engaging stories, providing glimpses into the hidden world of Camp David. Conducting hundreds of tours for personal guests of the President, his accessible storytelling draws you into the wonders of Camp David as if you are walking the historical private trails with your own personal tour guide.
His writings have appeared on the Faith and Leadership website and in
The Presbyterian Outlook,
Presbyterians Today, and the United States Naval Institute’s
Proceedings magazine.
