The Recreational Demonstration Area program (also known as the Recreation Demonstration Area program) was a National Park Service

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

 program during the 1930s and early 1940s that built forty-six public parks in twenty-four states on 397000 acres (1,606.6 km²), chiefly near urban areas in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The NPS used labor from a variety of Great Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

 federal relief programs, chiefly the Civilian Conservation Corps

Civilian Conservation Corps

The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...

 and Works Progress Administration

Works Progress Administration

The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...

, to build Recreational Demonstration Areas. By the end of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the Recreational Demonstration Areas had all either become National Park Service units or been given to their states for use as state parks.

The goals of the Recreation Demonstration Area program were typically threefold: 1) to develop land as a park; 2) to provide employment; and 3) to create new parks near urban areas. For the first goal, in some cases the land developed was purchased from sub-optimal farmers, providing some of the poorest farmers with relief. In other cases, state lands (in state forests or parks) were developed. In the second case, the CCC and WPA laborers received payment, and in the CCC, room and board. Finally, the residents of nearby urban areas benefited from new nearby recreation areas.

List

The following is a list of the forty six former Recreational Demonstration Areas.

Recreational Demonstration Area Name	U.S. state U.S. state A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...	Now	Current Name(s)	Remarks
Acadia Recreational Demonstration Area	Maine Maine Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...	Federal	Acadia National Park Acadia National Park Acadia National Park is a National Park located in the U.S. state of Maine. It reserves much of Mount Desert Island, and associated smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast...
Alexander H. Stephens Recreational Demonstration Area	Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...	State	A.H. Stephens State Historic Park	State park extension
Badlands Recreational Demonstration Area	North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....	Federal	Badlands National Park Badlands National Park Badlands National Park, in southwest South Dakota, United States preserves of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States....
Beach Pond Recreational Demonstration Area	Rhode Island	State
Bear Brook Recreational Demonstration Area	New Hampshire	State	Bear Brook State Park Bear Brook State Park Bear Brook State Park is a preserve located in Allenstown, New Hampshire and surrounding towns. It is one of New Hampshire's largest state parks....
Blue Knob Recreational Demonstration Area	Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...	State	Blue Knob State Park Blue Knob State Park Blue Knob State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Kimmel, Lincoln, and Pavia townships in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The average annual snowfall at the park is about . The park is named for Blue Knob, the second highest mountain in Pennsylvania at . It is the location...
Blue Ridge Recreational Demonstration Area	North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... , Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...	Federal	Blue Ridge Parkway Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
Bull Run Recreational Demonstration Area	Virginia	Federal	Manassas National Battlefield Park Manassas National Battlefield Park Manassas National Battlefield Park, located north of Manassas, in Prince William County, Virginia preserves the site of two major American Civil War battles: the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, and the Second Battle of Bull Run which was fought between August 28 and August 30, 1862...
Camden Hills Recreational Demonstration Area	Maine Maine Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...	State	Camden Hills State Park
Catoctin Recreational Demonstration Area	Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...	Both	Cunningham Falls State Park Cunningham Falls State Park Cunningham Falls State Park is a Maryland State Park located west of Thurmont, Maryland, USA, in the Catoctin Mountains. It features a man-made lake and its namesake waterfall, Cunningham Falls. Cunningham Falls is a cascading waterfall. It is the largest waterfall in Maryland. Catoctin... , Catoctin Mountain Park Catoctin Mountain Park Catoctin Mountain Park, located in north-central Maryland, is part of the forested Catoctin Mountain ridge that forms the eastern rampart of the Appalachian Mountains... , Camp David Camp David Camp David is the country retreat of the President of the United States and his guests. It is located in low wooded hills about 60 mi north-northwest of Washington, D.C., on the property of Catoctin Mountain Park in unincorporated Frederick County, Maryland, near Thurmont, at an elevation of...	near Baltimore and Washington D.C., part became a retreat for the U.S. President President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Cheraw Recreational Demonstration Area	South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...	State	Cheraw State Park Cheraw State Park Cheraw State Park is located in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of South Carolina. This large park is best known for its championship 18-hole golf course and the Lake Juniper, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Visitors can rent kayaks, canoes, and non-motorized jon boats to explore...
Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area	Virginia	Federal	Prince William Forest Park Prince William Forest Park Prince William Forest Park was established as Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area in 1936 and is located in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia, adjacent to the Marine Corps Base Quantico. The park is the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region at...	In the greater Washington D.C. area
Crabtree Creek Recreational Demonstration Area	North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...	State	William B. Umstead State Park William B. Umstead State Park William B. Umstead State Park is a North Carolina state park in Wake County, North Carolina in the United States. It covers nestled between the expanding cities of Raleigh, Cary, and Durham, North Carolina. It offers hiking, bridle, and bike trails, boat rentals, camping, picnic areas, and...
Cuivre River Recreational Demonstration Area	Missouri Missouri Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...	State	Cuivre River State Park Cuivre River State Park The Cuivre River State Park is located in northeastern Missouri, United States, east of Troy. The park was established in 1946 and offers camping, fishing on Sugar Creek, swimming, and hiking....
Custer Recreational Demonstration Area	South Dakota South Dakota South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...	State	Custer State Park Custer State Park Custer State Park is a state park and wildlife reserve in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota, USA. The park is South Dakota's largest and first state park, named after Lt...	State park extension
Falls Creek Recreational Demonstration Area	Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...	State	Fall Creek Falls State Park Fall Creek Falls State Park Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park is a state park in Middle Tennessee, located between Pikeville and Spencer. The park spans the boundary between Van Buren and Bledsoe counties....	State park extension
French Creek Recreational Demonstration Area	Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...	Both	Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th century rural "iron plantation"... , French Creek State Park French Creek State Park French Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along French Creek. The park is the...
Hard Labor Creek Recreational Demonstration Area	Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...	State	Hard Labor Creek State Park Hard Labor Creek State Park Hard Labor Creek State Park is a 5,804 acre Georgia state park located between Fairplay and Rutledge. The park is named after Hard Labor Creek, a small stream that cuts through the park. The creek's name comes either from slaves who once tilled the summer fields, or from Native Americans who...
Hickory Run Recreational Demonstration Area	Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...	State	Hickory Run State Park Hickory Run State Park Hickory Run State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Kidder and Penn Forest Townships in Carbon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is spread across the Pocono Mountains...
Kings Mountain Recreational Demonstration Area	South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...	Both	Kings Mountain National Military Park Kings Mountain National Military Park Kings Mountain National Military Park is a National Military Park near Blacksburg, South Carolina, along the North Carolina/South Carolina border... , Kings Mountain State Park Kings Mountain State Park Kings Mountain State Park is a South Carolina state park located in the Piedmont region of South Carolina.This large hilly park includes the Living History Farm, which is representative of a typical early 19th century Piedmont farm...
Lake Guernsey Recreational Demonstration Area	Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...	State	Guernsey State Park Guernsey State Park Lake Guernsey State Park, also known as Guernsey State Park Historic District, Lake Guernsey Park, Guernsey Lake Park, or Guernsey State Park, is a historic district and state park near Guernsey, Wyoming...	State park extension
Lake Murray Recreational Demonstration Area"	Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...	State	Lake Murray State Park
Lake of the Ozarks Recreational Demonstration Area".	Missouri Missouri Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...	State	Lake of the Ozarks State Park Lake of the Ozarks State Park Lake of the Ozarks State Park is a park on the Grand Glaize Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks and is the largest state park in Missouri.Originally owned by the United States National Park Service as part of the Recreational Demonstration Areas when the lake was built in the 1930s it was donated to the...
Laurel Hill Recreational Demonstration Area	Pennsylvania	State	Laurel Hill State Park Laurel Hill State Park Laurel Hill State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jefferson and Middlecreek Townships, Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Laurel Hill Lake is a man-made lake with a dam that was constructed during the Great Depression by the young men of CCC camps SP-8-PA and SP-15-PA...
Mendocino Woodland Recreational Demonstration Area	California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...	State	Mendocino Woodlands State Park Mendocino Woodlands State Park The Mendocino Woodlands State Park is a group camping facility located at 39350 Little Lake Road, Mendocino County, California, seven miles inland from the town of Mendocino. It was built as a Recreational Demonstration Area by the Civilian Conservation Corps...	National Historic Landmark
Montgomery Bell Recreational Demonstration Area	Tennessee	State	Montgomery Bell State Park Montgomery Bell State Park Montgomery Bell State Park is a Tennessee state park in Dickson County, Tennessee in the United States. The park is and sits at an elevation of . The park is open for year-round recreation including boating, hiking, camping, fishing and golf...
Montserrat Recreational Demonstration Area	Missouri	State	Knob Noster State Park Knob Noster State Park Knob Noster State Park is a Missouri state park in Johnson County, Missouri in the United States. The park, named for the nearby town of Knob Noster, was constructed as the Montserrat National Recreational Demonstration Area in 1946 as part of a nationwide effort by the National Park Service to...
Oak Mountain Recreational Demonstration Area	Alabama	State	Oak Mountain State Park Oak Mountain State Park Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama's largest state park at . It is located in Pelham, Alabama and is convenient to Birmingham, Alabama's largest city....
Otter Creek Recreational Demonstration Area	Kentucky	Local	Otter Creek Park Otter Creek Park Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area is a 2,600 acre riverfront park in Meade County, Kentucky. The park is located near Muldraugh and Fort Knox, along State Highway 1638, near U.S. 31W...
Pere Marquette Recreational Demonstration Area	Illinois	State	Pere Marquette State Park Pere Marquette State Park Pere Marquette State Park is an 8,050-acre protected area in southwestern Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is located near the city of Grafton, Illinois, at the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Illinois River...
Pine Mountain Recreational Demonstration Area	Georgia	State	Franklin Roosevelt State Park (western half)	Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...  visited the park often during its construction (his Little White House Little White House The Little White House, in the Warm Springs Historic District in Warm Springs, Georgia, was Franklin Delano Roosevelt's personal retreat. He first came to Warm Springs for treatment of his paralytic illness, and liked the area so much that, as Governor of New York, he had a home built on nearby...  at Warm Springs Warm Springs, Georgia Warm Springs is a city in Meriwether County, Georgia, United States. The population was 478 at the 2010 census.-History:Warm Springs first came to prominence in the 19th century as a spa town, due to its mineral springs which flow constantly at nearly 32 °C...  is in the eastern half of the modern park). State park extension
Raccoon Creek Recreational Demonstration Area	Pennsylvania	State	Raccoon Creek State Park Raccoon Creek State Park Raccoon Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on Raccoon Creek in Hanover and Independence townships in Beaver County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is about from the city of Pittsburgh, near Hookstown. Raccoon Creek State Park is easily accessed from Pennsylvania Route 18...
Shelby Forest Recreational Demonstration Area	Tennessee	State	Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park is a state park in Shelby County, Tennessee near Memphis, Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States....
Shenandoah Recreational Demonstration Area	Virginia	Federal	Shenandoah National Park Shenandoah National Park Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U.S. state of Virginia. This national park is long and narrow, with the broad Shenandoah River and valley on the west side, and the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont on the east...
Silver Creek Recreational Demonstration Area	Oregon	State	Silver Falls State Park Silver Falls State Park Silver Falls State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, located near Silverton, about east-southeast of Salem. It is the largest state park in Oregon with an area of more than , and it includes more than of walking trails, of horse trails, and a bike path...
St. Croix Recreational Demonstration Area	Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...	State	St. Croix State Park	Now a National Historic Landmark National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
Swift Creek Recreational Demonstration Area	Virginia	State	Pocahontas State Park Pocahontas State Park Pocahontas State Park is a state park located in Chesterfield, Virginia, USA, not far from the state capitol of Richmond. The park was laid out by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and at was, at its creation, Virginia's largest state park....
Roosevelt Recreational Demonstration Area	North Dakota	Federal	Theodore Roosevelt National Park Theodore Roosevelt National Park Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a United States National Park comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota. The park was named for U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, in honor of his achievements in conservation as president and for the landscape's... , North Unit
Roosevelt Recreational Demonstration Area	North Dakota	Federal	Theodore Roosevelt National Park Theodore Roosevelt National Park Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a United States National Park comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota. The park was named for U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, in honor of his achievements in conservation as president and for the landscape's... , South Unit
Versailles Recreational Demonstration Area	Indiana	State	Versailles State Park Versailles State Park Versailles is an Indiana state park, near the town of Versailles, Indiana. The land was given by the National Park Service for use as a state park to Indiana's Department of Conservation in 1943....
Waterloo Recreational Demonstration Area	Michigan	State	Waterloo State Recreation Area Waterloo State Recreation Area Waterloo State Recreation Area is the third-largest park in Michigan, encompassing over of forest, lakes and wetlands. Located in northeast Jackson County and parts of Washtenaw County, the park is the largest in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and features 4 campgrounds, 11 lakes, a nature...
Waysides, South Carolina Recreational Demonstration Area	South Carolina
Waysides, Virginia Recreational Demonstration Area	Virginia
White Sands Recreational Demonstration Area	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	Federal	White Sands National Monument White Sands National Monument The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
Winamac Recreational Demonstration Area	Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...	State	Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area, Tippecanoe River State Park Tippecanoe River State Park Tippecanoe RiverDesignationState ParkLocationIndiana USANearest CitiesWinamac, IndianaCoordinatesArea Date of Establishment1943Governing BodyIndiana DNR...
Yankee Springs Recreational Demonstration Area	Michigan	State	Yankee Springs Recreation Area Yankee Springs Recreation Area Yankee Springs Recreation Area is a state-managed protected area located in Yankee Springs Township in Barry County, Michigan.The park is in area. It has 120 rustic, 200 modern and 25 equestrian camping sites, plus two cabins. There are of cross-county ski/hiking trails, of mountain biking...

History

There are five former Recreational Demonstration Areas in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, which became part of one unit of the National Park Service, and five state parks in 1945 and 1946. There are five former Recreational Demonstration Areas in Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

, four of which are now part of the National Park Service. Two Recreational Demonstration Areas were built in Missouri

Missouri

Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...

 and are now state parks. There are three former Recreational Demonstration Areas in Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, all are now state parks.