Orenda/SP-26 Historic District, Chopawamsic RDA Camp 3
Also known as: Prince William Forest Park; Family Camp; Mothers & Tots' Camp
Why it's listed
Orenda, also called Camp 3 or the Mothers and Tots' Camp, is a cabin camp in Prince William Forest Park near Triangle, Virginia, together with the remains of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp that built it. The 179-acre district holds 44 contributing buildings, four structures and one site, most dating from 1935 to 1939. Cabins, unit lodges, latrines, a dining hall, a nursery lodge, a craft shelter, an entrance gate and a wood truss bridge are arranged around a small lake. Buildings sit on concrete piers and are clad in locally cut waney board, with cedar shingles later replaced by asphalt. West of the camp, a parade ground, blacksmith shop, electric shop and storage buildings survive from CCC camp SP-26. A log-and-chink stable is unique in the park. The district is significant as an example of New Deal recreation demonstration planning and NPS rustic design.
Significance in brief: The district is presented as a product of the New Deal movement to build model resource-reclamation and recreation demonstration projects, and of the rise of NPS rustic architecture. Its buildings use local timber, waney board siding and stone, and the district keeps the spirit and character of the original design. The CCC camp remains show how the workers who built the facilities lived.
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 89000458, listed June 12, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off VA 619 W of I-95, Triangle |
|---|---|
| County | Prince William County |
| Listed | June 12, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000458 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Built by CCC Company 2383 (enrollees of SP-25/SP-26) under the NPS Branch of Planning and State Cooperation, Region 1, Richmond; project manager W.R. Hall |
| Architectural style | NPS rustic architecture |
| Areas of significance | Conservation, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Cabins, lodges and other camp buildings remain in use as a camp, and the craft shelter is noted as in poorer condition than most. The park's structures were winterized and reroofed in asphalt by Army occupants in 1942-43. |
| Acreage | 179 |
| Within district | Prince William Forest Park Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.56374, -77.36150 (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 89000458.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7101575
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.