Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center
Also known as: Surrender Grounds Forest; Holiday Lake 4-H Camp
Why it's listed
Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center Historic District covers the oldest part of a residential camp beside Holliday Lake in Appomattox County, Virginia. Workers from the Works Progress Administration, possibly alongside the Resettlement Administration, built it in 1937-1938 to house crews constructing the lake and reforesting worn-out farmland. Local 4-H groups began using the site around 1940, and that continuous use kept the 1930s layout largely intact. Fifteen identical eight-bunk cabins line two ridges facing a terraced activity field, with a long dining hall at the head of the field. Buildings share a Rustic look, with board-and-batten lower walls and weatherboard above. The dining hall, store/clinic and main office have been resided and enlarged, but the cabins keep most original features. The district counts 26 contributing and 9 noncontributing resources. It is significant at the state level for its New Deal and 4-H associations and its camp architecture, from 1937 to 1960.
Significance in brief: It is described as a rare, highly intact example of a WPA-built complex in Virginia, tied to the Resettlement Administration's Surrender Grounds Forest project and later to 4-H history. Its symmetrical camp plan, terraced field and Rustic-style buildings retain design integrity. It is judged significant at the state level for Social History and rustic camp architecture.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 11000091, listed March 15, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1267 4-H Camp Rd, Rte 2, Appomattox |
|---|---|
| County | Appomattox County |
| Listed | March 15, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000091 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1937-1960 |
| Architect / builder | Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers, possibly working with the Resettlement Administration |
| Architectural style | Rustic style (classified as Other) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education, Entertainment/Recreation, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a 4-H residential camp; the dining hall, store/clinic and main office have been altered, while the cabins retain a high level of integrity. |
| Acreage | 11.2 |
| Coordinates | 37.39046, -78.63959 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 11000091.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712560
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.