Among the “tents” or cabins remaining at Dooly Campground, these are the most authentic in spirit. [The following information comes from the 2013 Keep Vienna Beautiful Christmas Tour of Homes booklet]. This cabin was originally one room built by Mrs. Lula Virginia (Lou V) Moore. There have been three significant renovations to the structure; a kitchen was added first, later a sleeping porch and bathroom were added. Jake and Ethel Gregory purchased the cabin in 1968 and added a small utility room.

Bert Gregory purchased the cabin from his great aunt and uncle in 2003 and began a complete renovation and addition.

A back porch was added, along with a master bedroom, bath and closet. There is an artesian well behind the cabin on the creek. At one time water from the well was pumped up the hill and used for the cabin…the original colors of gray with black and white trim were maintained. The cabin is affectionately known as “The Thing” to family and close friends.

This cabin was built by William Swearingen, the son of one of the founding trustees of Dooly Campground, O. P. Swearingen. The date of construction is not certain, but thought to be in the late 1920s.

It was purchased in 2004 by Bert Gregory from Melody Harrison, daughter of the late Robert and Marie Newby.  She had purchased it from her great aunt, Alice Forbes…The cabin has a working open well on the back porch that was dug by hand in one day’s time according to an account by a nearby neighbor, the late John Morgan who observed the building of the well. During reconstruction of the porch in 2006, it was discovered that the frame of the porch floor was from an old military crate, dating the porch as an addition during the 1940s…Known as “The Green Thing”, it has a spectacular view of Sandy Mount Creek.