b'CAMPSITE VISTASCherry Hill Park: 100 Years and Five GenerationsToday, Cherry Hill Park has more than 400 campsites on 64 acres. There are also two swimmingpools, a caf, ballroom, tractor rides, custom motorcoach tours of Washington D.C., a camp- Sue ground shuttle service, fishing pond, hot tubs, onsite hiking trails, eight glamping pods, three Brayyurt, three cottages, a gym, lounge, a dog walking service, laundry, movie nights and more. As our country commemorates its elected President in 1960 and again, Mike. We closed the old property eight glamping pods, three yurt, threehistoryoverthesummerholidays, theGurevichfamilyadaptedto and opened our new park, Cherry Hill cottages, a gym, lounge, a dog walk-theres one campground located close change. In 1961, construction began Park, in October 1989. At the old park, ing service, laundry, movie nights andto the nations capital, which also has on the 64-mile-long Capitol Beltway we had been operating 240 sites, with more.a reason to celebrate100 years as which surrounds the city. It absorbed 10,000 check ins and 30,000 camper Theres also a fifth generation ofa family-owned business.Today, the some of the parks property, including nights a year. We thought it would be Guervichs running the park.Evelyn,fifth generation of the Gurevich fam- the long-standing general store and a easy to move a mile down the road. Jennifer, Chrisand Traceyare on theily is operating top-rated Cherry Hill new generation of travelers emerged We opened with just 70 sites and an scene.Park, which has its own history par-WW II vets began traveling to D.C. office in a temporary trailer. Within a We have every intention of stay-allelingmanyoftheeventstaking ing a family business, noted Mike.place during the past 100 years. My wife Linda and I love what we doIt all started back in 1921 when and I still love coming to work everyJacob and Rose Gurevich founded a day, but the younger generation ispoultry farm in southern Maryland takingover.Myjobischangingjust outside of Washington, D.C. slightly.My great grandfather owned a se- Mikes father, Norman, is 88 yearsries of general stores in D.C., but he old and was still coming in on a regu-wanted to get back into farming, re- lar basis until a few years ago.callsMikeGurevich,thecurrent Looking to the future, Mike says Iowner of Cherry Hill Park. think rental options are taking over inInitially, the Gurevichs opened a the campground industry. RVs andsmall store and gas station in front of tenting are not going away, but rentaltheir farm. optionsdobetterandallcamp-There were several tourist camps grounds should be looking at glamp-and cabin camps along a 10 or 12 ing units and park models. We are stillmilestretchinthearea,sothey seeingbigtrailersbutalsounitsstarted to allow people to camp be- which are getting smaller and lighter.hind the store, eventually building a There are more corporate parks, asbath house so people could spend the big guys are seeing theres a lot ofthe night, continues Gurevich.It potential in the campground indus-was located on Route 1 which was the try. But I dont think well go the waymajor north/south road and lots of ofhotelswhereeverythingwillbepeople were passing through. corporately owned. There will still beAfter World WarIIended,there Bella, Tracy, Mike, Linda, Chris, Joan, Jennifer & Norman Gurevich family-owned campgrounds.were major housing shortages in the Cherry Hills next 100 years is inWashingtonD.C.area,andseveral in motorhomes and trailers. As their year, we had the first Gulf War and a good hands. I think the ability of themobile home parks north and south tenants moved out of their mobile recession. Needless to say, our first family business to evolve is the rea-of the city opened to returning GIs. homes, the family quickly replaced five years were really hard and it took son we are still around. Each genera-Cherry Hill continued to operate as a them with RV campsites to accom- us 10 years to really get going. tion has been allowed to carve out atrailer park, but also began accepting modate this new breed of guest and Mike wishes the internet had been different path in order to adapt tomobile homes. Young Norman Gure- rebrandedtheparktoCherryHill operating back in the 80s. changing conditions, he adds.vich, Mikes father, seized on the op- CampCity. The only way we had to tell peo- CongratulationstotheGurevichportunity and started selling mobile As business grew, Norm Gurevich pleweweremovingwasthrough family and Cherry Hill Park.homesandplacingtheminthe looked to the future. Woodalls and Trailer Life magazines.campground, expanding the area to My father knew we had a good lo- We put signs up at the old property, Sue Bray who is well known in theaccommodate more streets so people cation, but he wanted to have a mod- but people showed up there anyway. RV community, primarily due to hercould live there full time.(There ernRVresort. Wecouldnthavea Today, Cherry Hill Park has more workasexecutivedirectorofthewere no zoning issues in those days, swimming pool and we basically had than 400 campsites on 64 acres. There Good Sam Club. In 2009, she was in-laughs Mike.)Gurevich renamed the an aging trailer park. In the early 80s are also two swimming pools, a caf, ducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame.campground to Cherry Hill Mobile he started looking around the area for ballroom, tractor rides, custom mo- When she retired in 2012, she startedHome Village. a new property and eventually pur- torcoach tours of Washington D.C., a her own consulting business; visitJohn Kennedy brought the days of chased land that was a gravel pit but campground shuttle service, fishing www.suebray.com WCMCamelot to Washington when he was close to our existing park, explained pond, hot tubs, onsite hiking trails,Supplier Insightsfrom page 12 coating, the Powerslide is guaran- 888-391-3802 aluminum-housedfixturesisalsoteed not to rust or fade from the sun. www.bbelec.com easier, according to company offi-Powerslide pedestal is a cost-effec- The 50/30/20 amp RV unit is avail- cials.tivealternativetothewell-known able with an integrated digital meter, Solar Lighting Whether owners are looking for aPowerhouseoften found in marinas. ametersocketorunmeteredand For a fraction of the price of run- solar option to save on lamp replace-The Power Slide still canbeorderedsingleordouble- ningelectricallinesforapower ment costs or put in an area whereoffers all the features sided. hookup,camp- there is no electric service, B&B solarneeded for a full-ser- The Powerslide comes standard ground owners can streetlights are a stand-alone solu-viceRVpedestal.It withaninternalLEDlightwitha putsafetynight tion. 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MSRP Theinstallcost last 10 years or 60,000 hours.turedsandalwood startsataround$400beforecus- isreasonableand 888-391-3802(tan)UVresistant tomization. maintenance of the www.bbelec.com WCM32 September 2021 Woodalls Campground Magazine'