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Department of Conservation and Recreation
On a beautiful early fall day in 1940, you can bet families and friends were laughing and enjoying themselves at the newly opened Green Pastures Recreational Area.
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Families enjoying a day at Green Pastures Recreation Area
On a beautiful early fall day in 2021, maybe much like that day in 1940, family and friends, as well as government officials, enjoyed themselves at the dedication and reopening of Green Pastures Recreation Area. It was a much anticipated day, just like the original opening day on June 15, 1940.
The Green Pastures Recreation historic sign is revealed.
On September 24, 2021, a historic signing of a Shared Stewardship Agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Commonwealth of Virginia made the reopening of this historic site possible. It is the story before and between these dates that we hope to preserve and share with all those who have been and those to come.
In 1936, African Americans had nowhere to go for outdoor recreation. They were not allowed at the whites-only state parks because of segregation. As the frustration grew, an inspiring group of individuals from Clifton Forge, in unity with the Clifton Forge Chapter of the NAACP, advocated for creating a recreation area for Blacks. The U.S. Forest Service, Virginia State Parks, National Park Service and the Virginia State Forestry Department met and concluded that the Forest Service would open a segregated site despite the official policy to oppose segregation.
By May 1937, the location was determined because of its proximity to the newly constructed Douthat State Park. In early 1938, approximately 200 men from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp F24 Dolly Ann in Covington began work on a dam, bathhouses, roads and trails.
On June 15, 1940, the park was dedicated and officially opened as Green Pastures Recreation Area. Some stories suggest that the name of the park was derived from Psalm 23.
I like to imagine the joy on the children’s faces as they ran and played outside in a safe place. Parents could enjoy themselves as well—finally, a place just for them. And folks came from everywhere to enjoy this space as far away as Washington D.C. and Maryland. A place where they were not met by hostility, where they could just be happy and enjoy outdoor recreation.
Joyous memories of the days gone by at Green Pastures.
During U.S. involvement in World War II, the park closed to the public, but a newly improved Green Pastures was reopened and continued to serve as a natural respite, family gathering place and summer camp for decades.
When the military integrated troops in 1950, the U.S. Forest Service followed suit, and Green Pastures welcomed guests of all races and ethnicities. To signify its status as racially integrated, the U.S. Forest Service changed the site’s name to Longdale Recreation Area in April 1963.
Eventually, mounting budget issues led to disrepair and the closure of Longdale in 2017. But, thanks to continued preservation efforts spearheaded by community activists, amendments in Governor Ralph Northam’s 2020 budget proposal called for the restoration and reopening of Longdale Recreation Area under its historic name, Green Pastures.
Historic signing of a Shared Stewardship agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Pictured signing the agreement: Angela Coleman, USDA Forest Service Associate Chief; James E. Tillman, Sr., USDA NRCS Regional Conservationist for the Southeast Region and Ralph S. Northam, Governor of Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has taken on a 30-year lease with the U.S. Forest Service for the area. Under the agreement, 133 acres will be preserved, maintained and operated by DCR as a satellite of Douthat State Park.
Once restoration and work are completed, Green Pastures will once again provide opportunities for visitors to gather with family and friends and enjoy a connection with the outdoors while learning about the significance this park has played in history. Future educational programs will interpret the complicated and often painful history of segregation in the South and Virginia State Parks, as the mission of DCR is to enjoy, protect and restore Virginia’s natural and cultural treasures.
Green Pastures Recreation Area will be open May-October each year and is located approximately 11 miles from Douthat State Park.
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