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1747
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Marquis Calmes II obtains title to Calmes Neck in a
grant from Lord Fairfax. Map attached to deed shows that Calmes
already had a house on the property in 1747, although his primary
residence was presumed to be across the river. The deed refers to the property
as being "on a Neck on the Shenandoah River". The term "Calmes Neck" is
reflected in records thereafter.
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1884
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In a dispute between two groups of heirs of Marquis
Calmes III, Calmes Neck is sold to Thomas M. Nelson. Most other
members of the Calmes family had migrated to Kentucky after the
Revolutionary War.
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1906
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After death of Nelson, Calmes Neck is sold to first of
13 owners or groups of owners over next 54 years.
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Early 1900s, through at
least 1930s
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Access to Calmes Neck, previously primarily by boat, is
augmented with a barge attached to a cable at the tip of the
Neck, moving across or back with the aid of the river current.
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1924
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Shelter is built and named Kingdom Come on what we know
as the MacDougal Tract, by a Dr. Moore, reportedly as a retreat
for religous gatherings. The remains of what may have been a
baptistry can still be seen at river level.
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1959
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Double E Land and Cattle Company formed by Frank Epps,
cattle dealer and entrepreneur, and Dr. Kenneth Endicott,
Director of the National Cancer Institute and investor.
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1960
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In January, Double E acquires Calmes Neck in a land
swap with Brincefield and Baker, the last in a succession of
investor/owners.
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April 22 Calmes Neck plat is recorded. Ninety-seven 5+
acre lots are laid out by surveyor Hickman, working for the firm
of O. B. Knight.
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Double E determines that the right-of-way that came
with Calmes Neck, across several properties to what is now "Mac's
gate", is not adequate.
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In July, by two deeds, Double E acquires the Burwell
Tract, the Copenhaver Tract, and right-of-way over the remaining
distance to County Route 606.
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Road construction begins in earnest.
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1960 to 1962
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Trailer is set up as sales office at the intersection
of U.S. 50 and Route 606.
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22 lots had been sold by the end of 1962 (many of which
were later repurchased by Double E)
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The deeds for these lots specify 4 covenants, including
an annual assessment of $5.
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In 1962 Frank Epps is removed from the corporation.
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1964
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Mrs. Kenneth Endicott, Fran, begins active role in the
management of the development.
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Swimming pool is completed.
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1966 to 1972
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After 3+ year hiatus, 14 more lots are sold. The deeds
to these lots generally include 8 covenants, the most significant
of which provides for the possibility that the covenants can be
amended in 1982 or every 10th year thereafter. First of these
covenants set the annual assessment at $10, later ones at $40 or
$50.
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1968
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Hummer family takes up full-time residence in old
farmhouse near the swimming pool. Roger Hummer is caretaker.
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1969
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Double E purchases the MacDougal Tract. Holdings total
1200 acres.
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1971
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The Endicotts build a house for themselves. At this
point there is still an old farmhouse near the swimming pool,
occupied by the Hummer family, __ other residences and __
uninsulated cabins.
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Lots 4-7 resubdivided into Lots A, B, and C
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1972
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Hurricane Agnes, first of 3 "100-year floods" over next
15 years, deposits new gravel on floodplain.
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Fran and her husband engage property-owner and land-
use-planner Ben Osborn as a land-use consultant. In subsequent
years, Ben drafts new covenants and regulations, including a map
defining a recreation area and available hiking trails.
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1975
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After a 2 1/2 year hiatus, sales resume in March, to
James Parenteau, with 7-page "Protective Covenants of Calmes Neck
Estates" attached.
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Fran Endicott becomes full-time resident at Calmes Neck
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October, the first Ecology Weekend is held as an
activity of the Audubon Naturalist Society.
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1974 to 1980
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The annual Old Dominion 100 Mile Endurance Ride brings
horses and runners to midway rest stop at Calmes Point.
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1977
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Audubon Naturalists at Calmes Neck, later renamed the
Calmes Neck Naturalists) is formed, sponsoring a spring
wildflower walk, a canoe trip, the ecology weekend, and several
bird walks each year.
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1982
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Two homes are vandalized, including Ben and Rachel
Osborn's house, which burns to the ground.
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1983
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In financial difficulty, Double E sells the farm and
the Burwell Tract to Richard C. Plater, Jr.
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At Plater's insistence, a Calmes Neck Property Owners
Committee is formed to discuss the takeover of management of the
development from Double E. The committee meets across next
several years, but since the chairman refuses to allow other
interested property owners to attend meetings, the committee does
not meet needs for communication among owners.
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1985
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Major flooding deposits bars of new gravel up to 18
inches deep across floodplain pastures, tears out fences. Much
of the gravel is later applied on the roads.
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1986
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Swimming pool fails but is later repaired.
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Charles Vandervoort and others propose the formation of
an organization to foster better communication between property
owners and Double E--particularly in view of the problems with
the pool and slippery roads.
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At an organizational meeting, Dick Plater announces his
intention to subdivide the ridge and to require owners of these
new lots to pay double assessments.
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1987
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Calmes Neck Lotowner Forum meets for the first time May
2, 1987, adopts a statement of organization, and elects its first
officers. This also begins a tradition of semi-annual property
owner meetings using Double E's office (now owned by John Folds).
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Major flood tears out fences in floodplain again.
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1988
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Plater creates the Blue Yonder Subdivision, consisting
of 8 lots on the ridge, and gifts the remaining 265 acres of the
Burwell Tract to the Burwell-Van Lennep Foundation to serve as a
nature preserve.
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The pool fails completely and is unusable in 1988. The
Forum debates the replacement of the pool.
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Calmes Neck now has 7 full-time residences and 18 part-
time residences.
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1989
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Pool reopens in August
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1990
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Nine families file a complaint against Dick Plater for
restricting property owner access to the office, reducing the
size of the recreation area, and obstructing the use of trails.
Depositions begin.
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1992
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The owners of a majority of the lots in Calmes Neck
Estates approve amended covenants, making them effective for all
except 6 owners.
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Lawsuit against Plater results in a hearing before a
Commissioner in Chancery in August. Deferring the commissioner's
report, the parties begin negotiations that lead to an out-of-
court settlement.
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1993
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October 30, Calmes Neck Property Owners Association
(CNPOA) is incorporated by 8 property owners. Membership is
defined to include both Calmes Neck and Blue Yonder property
owners.
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1994
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Lawsuit is settled out of court, with Plater deeding
the 10-acre recreation area, including the swimming pool, to the
newly formed CNPOA on Feb 21, 1994.
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December, Double E deeds to the CNPOA the roads and
rights of way, lot 88, and its rights under the covenants to
collect assessments and administer the development. It also
transfers equipment including a bulldozer, two tractors, a truck,
and associated equipment including a snowplow.
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1995
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CNPOA undertakes management of the development and
maintenance of the roads and recreation area.
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The last Ecology Weekend is held. (Too much else is
going on to sustain it.)
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1996
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5 feet (?) of snow blocks access for more than a week,
then meltwater in quick thaw tears out section of road.
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Hurricane Fran causes major flooding and removes yards
of nice beach.
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1997
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CNPOA brings action against Emmett Winslow for
nonpayment of assessments. Property is sold August 1998 to
satisfy liens.
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1998
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Calmes Neck website is made available to CNPOA members.
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1999
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Introduction of 9-1-1 emergency services gives CNPOA
occasion to declare new names for its roads, many of which were
the names in common use but not what was on the original plat.
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The Virginia Native Plant Society places the "Calmes
Neck Bluffs" on its registry of sites with state significance
because of its native plants. Some of the documents that
supported its nomination are accessible at this website.
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2001
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CNPOA sells Lot 88 and uses the proceeds to purchase a
new Kubota tractor and Versa-Pro road grading equipment. Jim
Clark deeds to the CNPOA an easement to allow construction of a
storage shed on his property, to take the place of the location
previously available on Lot 88.
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2002
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A majority of the Calmes Neck property owners approve
amended covenants and they become effective December 31, 2002.
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2003
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CNPOA pickup loses clutch during snow plowing. Outside
contractors are hired to clear major snowfall.
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CNPOA website is augmented by QuickTopic bulletin
boards, abuzz during snow emergency. Password-protected access
is provided to minutes of board and membership meetings.
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CNPOA sells Satoh mowing tractor, buys bushhog for
Kubota.
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2004
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CNPOA purchases snowplow for Kubota tractor.
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There are 32 homes occupied full time in Calmes Neck
and Blue Yonder (up from seven in 1988, none before 1968), and
another 14 houses occupied part time.
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