Lake Barcroft History Book

Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chronology of Major Events . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter One: One Man’s Dream
Colonel Barger’s Quest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Walter Gropius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Starting Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter Two: From Vision To Reality
The Founders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Developing the Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Salesman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Managing the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Chapter Three: A Community Is Born
LABARCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Community Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Early Social Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Barger and LABARCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Chapter Four: The Cadillac Community
A Community at Odds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Pollution Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Dredging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Chapter Five: Stuart Finley Takes the Helm
The Community Grows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Finley Elected President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
First Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Reviving the Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Chapter Six: “What Do I Get for My $10?”
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Water Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Socializing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
The International Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Bowling Leagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Chapter Seven: Signs of the Times
Small Sanitary District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Beautification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Street Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Street Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Chapter Eight: “This Lake Is Your Lake”
Buying the Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
BARLAMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Building the Recreation Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Chapter Nine: Hurricane Agnes . . . . . . . . . .32
Damage Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Public Reaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Search for Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Watershed Improvement District . . . . . . . . . . . .36
The WID Vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Chapter Ten: A New Beginning
The WID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
The Bond Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Restoring the Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
A New Dam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Chapter Eleven: The Second Generation
Social Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Community Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Nature and the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Chapter Twelve: The Lake Barcroft
Woman’s Club
The Beginning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Typical Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Fund-Raising Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
The Footbridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
The Community Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
The Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Appendices
Photo Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Community Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Into the 21st Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Ordering Copies
Send a check for $20 to
Lake Barcroft History, c/o WID,
3650 Boat Dock Drive,
Falls Church, Virginia 22041.
Proceeds will defray printing costs
and support local charities.
Author Credits
Anthony Bracken wrote a series of
articles for the Lake Barcroft Newsletter
commemorating the Fiftieth Anniversary
of the Lake Barcroft Community. He has
been a Barcroft homeowner since 1981.
Tony graduated from the U.S. Naval
Academy (BS, Engineering) and has a
Masters Degree from George Washington
University. He was a career naval officer,
aviator, air group commander and naval
attaché to Moscow, USSR. In a second
career, he was vice president for
marketing with a firm specializing in
defense and oceanographic products.
Stuart Finley, who has been a Barcroft
resident since 1954, illustrated this book,
primarily by selecting photographs shot
by non-Barcroft resident Ted Jones who
was a long-time associate of Stu at NBC-
Washington and later photographer and
editor of an environmental documentary
film production company. Ted is
recognized as having an eye . . . which
means that he recognizes a potential
picture when he sees one, and being a
grab artist . . . which means that if
someone falls Ted has his picture before
he hits the ground.
© by L. Anthony Bracken (text)
and Robert Finley (photos)
Printed in the United States of America 2001.
ISBN: 0-615-11978-6