Camp History Project: Exhibit #1

As many of you know from previous blog posts, we've got a long-running oft-on-the-back-burner Camp History project going here at 4-H Camp, with the goal of piecing together and telling the entire story of how our beloved camp came to be, and how we got to where we are now.

Thusly, we are proud to unveil the first artifact in said project, in the form of some exciting new old Dining Hall decor.

When clearing out one of our old storage sheds, we found a fantastic blueprint for the original plans for our site:

(Apologies for the occasional reflection of the overhead light in the glass - all our good photographers are gone for the winter, so you're stuck with me.)

This blueprint shows the plans for our camp before 4-H and Rutgers Cooperative Extension were involved...

When it was intended to be a State Forest site called "Shay Place"...

Way back in 1941.  In fact, it was quite fortunate that we found this surviving document rolled up in the back of our shed at all... 

Because it was wrapped in a similar blue print that time (and mice) didn't preserve quite as well.

And the plans are remarkably different from what came to pass!

There are cabins, and shelters, and campsites...

All around the lake...

And way back further into the woods...

Than what ended up existing.

There's multiple bridges across the stream!

There's a diving platform off of vespers island!

And none of this is even the coolest part!

The coolest part, is that overlaid on top of this old blue print...

In chalk, is what we believe (enter conjecture here...)

To be perhaps one of the original layouts of what would become 4-H Camp...

Perhaps drawn by the designer of our site before it was built, Robert Innella.

Notice there's only ten cabins in the original plan?

The pictures don't do it justice, so you should look forward...

To checking it out yourself, in person...

When it's in it's new home as the first stop of our Camp History wall in the Dining Hall.

Oh! And also, if you'd like to visit sooner (but mostly if you'd like to have someone who's never been here before visit sooner so you can join our Lantern Family), we're holding a Summer Camp Program tour this Saturday, December 15th at 10:30 am. Call the Camp Office (973-948-3550.)