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The roots of Rockcliffe Farm Retreat are in the mountains and deserts of San Diego, California, and in an old farmhouse in Winnetka, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
The owners, (Mr. and Mrs.) Hugh Radcliffe and Joan Rockwell, grew up living outside as much as possible. As kids, we had similar interests, though thousands of miles apart. Hugh, in the idyllic southern Cal climate, mostly enjoyed doing everything outside, camping, hiking, and hunting whenever he wasn't in school, and fishing in the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat he still has. That area (Spring Valley), is now totally built up and paved over. Joan played in a wetlands which is now the site of a multimillion dollar mcmansion, read books while sitting in trees, and did as much boating as possible both as a kid and an adult. We both moved several times and always watched as trees, fields, farms, and views gave way to sprawl and/or congestion, and concrete.
We met in 1994, when we found ourselves both in Appomattox, Virginia. Joan had acquired 100 acres on the James River which she hoped to make available to inner city children for hiking and enjoying nature, and to artists who might be inspired by the beautiful setting. Hugh loved the idea of this. How to achieve it, though?
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