Flashback Monday: More on Reston's Homicidal Nudist Colony, Part 2: To Combat the Nudists, Virginia Plans an Erection

Our favorite correspondent, The Peasant From Less Sought After South Reston, continues his tale of the homicidal nudists Green Forest Club, a wholesome group that set up camp near what would someday become the South Reston Park & Ride Lot.

Last week's Flashback told the tale of the Green Forest Club -- not a bunch of eco-zealots, but a nudist colony established in 1933 off of Lawyers Road "to provide members with facilities for obtaining benefits of sunlight, fresh air, water, and exercise," according to George Rossman, one of the buffs quoted by the Washington Post. In addition, today's Restonians will be morally uplifted to know that these distant ancestors of theirs would not, according to Rossman, "countenance exhibitionism, indecent exposure, obscenity, or immorality." Glad we got that straightened out!

End of story? Butt no!

According to a breathless headline in the Washington Post "news-paper" of November 2, 1933, "State to Build 100-Foot Tower Near Fairfax Nudist Colony; It's for Fire Use, But Open to Everybody Zealous for Forest Safety"

The Post reports: "The Virginia State Forest Service is going to erect a 100-foot tower. That's not all. The tower will be within a mile of the nudist camp in Fairfax County."

"And what's more, the tower will be open to the public. It is rumored that several county residents have applied for a binocular concession -- to view the countryside, of course."

"Constructed of steel, the fire tower will stand near Pender, Va, on the Lee-Jackson highway. So far, prying eyes near the nudist camp have not been tolerated. But prying eyes 100 feet in the air are something different."

And who else would this particular fire tower's mascot be other than -- wait for it -- Smokey the Bare! Rib-splitter!

It is unclear if the observation tower was in fact ever built. But if it were, we can only imagine the dialogue between the vigilant forest rangers on duty when danger was spotted:

"Look, Jedidiah, I see smoke up there to the north near Lawyers Road!"


"Where, Moses?"

"Over there! See those twin peaks? Look past them and just before that valley you'll see...a burning bush!"

Bazinga!