John F. Kennedy

Kennedy

Kennedy and his family enjoyed the recreation sites at Camp David although Jack said it wouldn’t be used. They loved football in the front lawn with most of the family participating.  News cameras would frequently catch a pickup game with a number of the family involved. The president and his wife began to use the camp in the spring of 1963 when he had a bridle path cleared along the outer perimeter of the camp. A stable was also built and a pony ring for Caroline’s pony, Macaroni.  The family enjoyed riding on weekends after that. Crew members remember the gift presented to her by the king of Morocco; an ornamental saddle. The king was most impressed by the US president. To make life more comfortable for the president who suffered from a chronic back, a rocking chair was added to the sun porch as a gift from the king. The monarch had called Camp David to inquire about Kennedy. The president’s bad back caused the staff concern. He wanted the swimming pool heated above 100F degrees daily.