and articulated the formal mission of the organization :
“ To preserve , enhance , and celebrate the Blue Ridge Mountains as a valuable resource and treasured space for present and future generations ”
By December of 2007 , Friends hosted its first event : a Sunday afternoon of storytelling at the Bears Den hostel , featuring longtime residents of the mountains , music , and a chili potluck provided by the Board .
The selection of Bears Den as the site of its first event was no accident . It perfectly embodies the spirit and ethic of what Friends hoped to instill in people throughout the Blue Ridge .
Bears Den is in the heart of Bear ’ s Den Rural Historic District which is a national historic district in Bluemont , Clarke and Loudoun Counties . The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 . The district includes a collection of late-19th- and early-20th-century
Photo : Courtesy Gary Johnson Studios
dwellings constructed primarily as summer homes by wealthy Washingtonians attracted by the mountain ’ s cooler summer climate .
In 1933 Dr . Huron Lawson , an obstetrics and gynecology professor at George Washington University , and his wife , Francesca Kaspari , a soprano , built their summer home at distinctive outcropping of rock visible on the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains and named it Bears Den . In fact , the rocks are believed to be a directional landmark for the indigenous people who hunted and fished in the region 12,000 years ago . One local archaeologist claims it was used to mark the changing of the seasons on the Paleo-Indians ’ celestial calendar .
Dr . Lawson and his wife traveled extensively in Europe and designed the home to be evocative of the Medieval castles they saw . Dr . Lawson used the local stonemasons and built the home in three stages , with the last to be the turret in the back . The curved living room was designed for its acoustical properties to compliment the informal recitals that Francesca delighted in giving for their friends . There are also two small stone structures on the property near what is now the dayuse parking lot . One structure was a ticket booth because Dr . Lawson created a petting zoo and charged five cents for visitors as admission and for visitors to picnic and access the overlook . The other stone structure was , and still is a well house .
In June 1984 , the Appalachian Trail Club ( ATC ) bought 66 acres that included the Dr . Huron ’ s Bears Den . Today the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club ( PATC ) manages the property and works cooperatively with the ATC to operate Bears Den Trail Center as a nonprofit organization . The Bears Den offers an array of services , including a hostel with full services , accommodations for group or private party rentals / retreats , a primitive campground , and a rustic cottage for rent . The 2,184.2-mile AT is just 150 yards from Bears Den .
Lawrence Malone is the Executive Director of Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains . Following a career in finance and city planning , he and wife Toni moved to Purcellville in large part for a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains . After many happy days backpacking along the Appalachian Trail in the Blue Ridge , and as far north as the famous Mahoosuc Notch in western Maine , they decided there was no better place to settle than at the base of the Blue Ridge . Incidentally , at the risk of starting a controversy , Larry is of the opinion that the Roller Coaster at Bears Den is more of a challenge than the Mahoosuc .
44 wander I fall • winter 2021