12. The cabins are all named for indigenous trees
Two cabins are set in shaded spots the same distance away from the president’s Aspen, named Dogwood and Birch. They are traditionally the temporary residences of senior guests of the president, such as foreign leaders who have been invited to the camp. Further down the road, away from Aspen, Holly cabin is located. Holly was the meeting place of Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt in 1943, on its porch, which remains as it was. It is where the two World War II leaders came to an agreement over the time and place for the invasion of France in 1944. They also used the porch to relax over drinks and FDR’s stamp collection.
The pool table inside the Holly cabin wasn’t there when Churchill stayed at the camp, which is too bad because Churchill was known to enjoy the game of billiards, as well as a British version of the pool called snooker. President Carter added the pool table years later. Holly is the site of one of the camp’s motion picture projectors, in the cabin’s large meeting room, where much of the discussions which led to the Camp David Accords took place. As presidents and their guests move about the camp and between the cabins they are always under the watchful eyes of US Marines, who remain as unobtrusive as possible, rather than impose on the guests’ sense of freedom and relaxation.
