Mendocino Woodlands Recreational Demonstration Area (RDA) is one of the two best remaining examples of recreational demonstration area in the country. RDAs were a new kind of state park planned by the National Park Service during the New Deal to accommodate private non-profit organizations that operated summer camps for youths.

Mendocino Woodlands RDA is also an extremely significant and well preserved state park of the period, and epitomizes the artistic quality and high aspirations held for state parks designed by the Park Service during the 1930s. Mendocino Woodlands represents the highest achievements of the collaboration of the Park Service, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and local park authorities during the New Deal.

Excerpted from the NRHP Nomination.