| 1747 | 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 Shennandoah River". The term "Calmes Neck" is reflected in records thereafter. |
| 1884 | 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. |
| 1906 | After death of Nelson, Calmes Neck is sold to first of 13 owners or groups of owners over next 54 years. |
| Early 1900s, through at least 1930s | 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. |
| 1924 | 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. |
| 1959 | 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. |
| 1960 | In January, Double E acquires Calmes Neck in a land swap with Brincefield and Baker, the last in a succession of investor/owners. |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| Road construction begins in earnest. | |
| 1960 to 1962 | Trailer is set up as sales office at the intersection of U.S. 50 and Route 606. |
| 22 lots had been sold by the end of 1962 (many of which were later repurchased by Double E) | |
| The deeds for these lots specify 4 covenants, including an annual assessment of $5. | |
| In 1962 Frank Epps is removed from the corporation. | |
| 1964 | Mrs. Kenneth Endicott, Fran, begins active role in the management of the development. |
| Swimming pool is completed. | |
| 1966 to 1972 | 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. |
| 1968 | Hummer family takes up full-time residence in old farmhouse near the swimming pool. Roger Hummer is caretaker. |
| 1969 | Double E purchases the MacDougal Tract. Holdings total 1200 acres. |
| 1971 | 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. |
| Lots 4-7 resubdivided into Lots A, B, and C | |
| 1972 | Hurricane Agnes, first of 3 "100-year floods" over next 15 years, deposits new gravel on floodplain. |
| 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. | |
| 1975 | After a 2 1/2 year hiatus, sales resume in March, to James Parenteau, with 7-page "Protective Covenants of Calmes Neck Estates" attached. |
| Fran Endicott becomes full-time resident at Calmes Neck | |
| October, the first Ecology Weekend is held as an activity of the Audubon Naturalist Society. | |
| 1974 to 1980 | The annual Old Dominion 100 Mile Endurance Ride brings horses and runners to midway rest stop at Calmes Point. |
| 1977 | 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. |
| 1982 | Two homes are vandalized, including Ben and Rachel Osborn's house, which burns to the ground. |
| 1983 | In financial difficulty, Double E sells the farm and the Burwell Tract to Richard C. Plater, Jr. |
| 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. | |
| 1985 | 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. |
| 1986 | Swimming pool fails but is later repaired. |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 1987 | 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). |
| Major flood tears out fences in floodplain again. | |
| 1988 | 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. |
| The pool fails completely and is unusable in 1988. The Forum debates the replacement of the pool. | |
| Calmes Neck now has 7 full-time residences and 18 part- time residences. | |
| 1989 | Pool reopens in August |
| 1990 | 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. |
| 1992 | The owners of a majority of the lots in Calmes Neck Estates approve amended covenants, making them effective for all except 6 owners. |
| 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. | |
| 1993 | 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. |
| 1994 | 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. |
| 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. | |
| 1995 | CNPOA undertakes management of the development and maintenance of the roads and recreation area. |
| The last Ecology Weekend is held. (Too much else is going on to sustain it.) | |
| 1996 | 5 feet (?) of snow blocks access for more than a week, then meltwater in quick thaw tears out section of road. |
| Hurricane Fran causes major flooding and removes yards of nice beach. | |
| 1997 | CNPOA brings action against Emmett Winslow for nonpayment of assessments. Property is sold August 1998 to satisfy liens. |
| 1998 | Calmes Neck website is made available to CNPOA members. |
| 1999 | 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. |
| 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. | |
| 2001 | 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. |
| 2002 | A majority of the Calmes Neck property owners approve amended covenants and they become effective December 31, 2002. |
| 2003 | CNPOA pickup loses clutch during snow plowing. Outside contractors are hired to clear major snowfall. |
| CNPOA website is augmented by QuickTopic bulletin boards, abuzz during snow emergency. Password-protected access is provided to minutes of board and membership meetings. | |
| CNPOA sells Satoh mowing tractor, buys bushhog for Kubota. | |
| 2004 | CNPOA purchases snowplow for Kubota tractor. |
| 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. |
Comments on this outline are welcome. Email Paul Zeisset.