Recreational Center of Front Royal

William E. Carson (1870-1942), the first chairman of the Virginia State Commission on Conservation and Development, a local resident, spearheaded the development of the recreational center for use by the people and visitors of Front Royal and Warren County. In 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) began designing and developing the center's facilities, including the golf course and a rustic clubhouse that once stood nearby. The park opened to the public in 1938. Carson and his wife, Agnes H. Carson, donated the land for the park and dedicated it to the memory of their only son, William E. Carson, Jr., who died in 1925.