8. Recreational activities available at the camp expanded over time
When Camp David opened as Shangri La in late 1942, the facilities available for the use of the president and his guests were limited. There was a camp swimming pool, which was used by all; walking trails, riding trails, and little else. For the wheelchair-bound Roosevelt, it was fine, he used the facility primarily to fish and work on his stamp collection. By the time of Eisenhower’s administration, a bowling alley had been installed. When Khrushchev visited in 1959 he was awestruck by the automatic pin-setting machines which were featured. A skeet and trap shooting range were also available for presidents and guests.
Although Eisenhower is indelibly linked to golf as his favorite form of recreation, he preferred while at Camp David to indulge his other muses, fishing and playing bridge. Often Ike’s guests at the camp were selected for their ability to ensure a challenging game to entertain the president. Movies were available at the camp from the beginning, as they were at nearly all US Navy facilities of suitable size, and different presidents treated them accordingly. Some preferred to select films to be shown themselves, others simply wanted to know what was to be shown and when, and still others ignored them entirely.
