This will be needing a lot of work, but here's a fairly brief history of Camp:

1901 - First Camp established at Ceder Beach at Charlotte, Vermont on July 10th until the 24th. 21 Campers attended with Byron Clark and Henry Bolles, the YMCA Secretary. The age set for campers was 12 by Clark. Much of the equipment was donated by locals. It does not appear that this was indended for a long term affair. Camp was called Camp Robinson - likely named after a member of the YMCA committee who donated materials for the camp.

1902 - Second camp established at the same location in July, with 18 boys attending. Name for the camp this year was Camp Iroquis. In addition to Clark, a Mr. Lapier was employed on the camp staff, as a cook.

1903 - Third camp established, with 29 campers and 5 staff members. The location changed this year, to Mascome Lake, at Enfield, New Hampshire, and was called Camp Stay-A-While.

These first three years are characterized by an informal nature, with no formal programming for the campers. In addition, while the members were no doubt drawn from the Burlington YMCA population, the camp was not part of the regular YMCA programming.

1904 - Fourth Camp established - this time as the YMCA Camp, apparently as Clark started to intigrate the camp into the Y structure and programming - There was also several things printed int the YMCA Association Notes for that year about the camp. 43 campers and 6 staff members attended. Camp was located at Chazy Lake, New York. During the winter of this year, Clark went to the State YMCA Committee to ask for sponsorship of the camp. There doesn't seem to have been any actions taken, but there was support for the 1905 season - a donation of $50 and a loan of $75.

1905 - With the financial help, the camp was was highly successful for this year, and it seems that Clark became more organized and formal with running the camp. The camp was advertised for the first time. Once again, the camp was located at Chazy Lake in New York. Due to the sucesses of the camp this year, the State Committee put more support to the institution, bringing to bear a long term plan and spending money on six boats, tents, cooking equipment, sports equipment and a number of other items.

1906-07 - Fiften camping year, with 80 campers enrolled with 10 staff members. This year was the first in which it was formally organized, and for the first time, there was a staff member designated for programming purposes. Camp also proved to turn a profit this year. This year, it was called Camp Hamel. This year also marks the first that the camp was located in the Islands of Vermont, at Hibbard's Point in North Hero. While they were permitted to camp on location, the YMCA was unable to purchase the property. There was increasing pressure to find a permenant location for the camp, as the moving caused problems with enrollment and the lack of permenant structures, as well as problems with storage of the equipment over the winter months.

1908 - Seventh Season of Camp, called Camp Manuel, with a camp population of around 100 people. In addition to the regular program, trips were conducted around Lake Champlain and up to Montreal, Quebec. 1908 marks the first time that awards were given out by Clark to outstanding campers. Campers activities at this time were well rounded, from Religous services, reading, sex education, athletics, all incorperated into a daily schedule:

0600 - Reville
0605 - Exercises
0615 - Morning Dip (Compulsory)
0700 - Breakfast
0745 - Religious Services
0900 - Activities
1100 - Swim
1200 - Dinner
1300 - Activities
1600 - Swim
2000 - Religious Services
2100 - Taps

A second session seems to have been added for older boys during the 1908 season, and the YMCA Triangle was added to the camp insignia - it appeared on camp sweaters. The State Committee worked intensively in the year after this camp year to solve problems with enrollment. It was also during this planning period that the name was changed to Camp Abnaki.

1909 - Eighth camping season, with a drop in enrollment to 75 boys. The camp season was successful, with normal camp activities, and a profit of $29.

1910 - The State Committee decided to lower the enrollment age of campers to 10, to Clark's protests, to help with the enrollment problem. Camp season was postponed due to a conflict with a large historical event in Burlington. During this year, there was a trip to Montreal, with campers staying at the Montreal YMCA. One of the highlights was their attendance at an airshow - a novelty during this age. 15 Campers attended. It is also this year that Byron Clark earned his name 'Dad' Clark. The camp was now a permenant fixture with the Y, although it still did not have a site of it's own.

Camp was described as being carefree and enjoyable during these opening years - Life for the campers was simple and full of things to do. It became common practice to fly the camp's Awasos flag upside down to warn campers when women were on camp property, so that they would remember to be clothed.
While life was simple, disipline was enforced harshly. It was not uncommon for boys to be hit by Clark for infractions.

1911-15 - 113 campers attended this year, from Vermont, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. There was active searching for a permenant location for the camp. Camp would be located at Hibbard's Point until 1915. Theodore Roosevelt visited the camp during 1910 or 1911.

1916 - A permenant location was located at City Bay on North Hero, with 30 acres, costing an estimated $2500. The site was noted to be an ideal location, "with exception of the swimming location, which was covered with shale rock", but it was not far from the rail road station, an essential means of transportation prior to the age of the automobile.
Buildings were built on the site. Clark was alarmed at the proximety of the railroad dance hall, which he felt was a bad influence, with brawls and drinking a regular occurance. Clark went to a meeting held by Rutland Railroad, and was able to purchase the entire building for $1. The building, now known as the Longhouse, was established as the dining hall and kitchen, for which it would be used well into the century.
The camp held a dedication for the new camp, with the Governor of Vermont (Gates) attending along with over 200 guests.
In the years surrounding this period, camp recieved a number of notable visitors, including Sir Baden-Powell, the founder of the International Scouting Organization (In the US, the Boy Scouts of America), President Howard Taft, Vice President Calvin Coolige, as well as a number of other guests, such as Major Generals, Ambassadors, and others.

1914-1919 - First World War fought - 14 camper-alumni would lose their lives.

1915- Camp Season increased from 1910 to a single, ten week session, from 9-15 day sessions that began Abnaki.

1917 - First year in which campers from other countries attended.

1919 - 25 - In 1921 Abnaki celebrated it's 20th anniversary. At this time, it was the second largest boys camp in New England, and the second oldest YMCA camp in the nation. Byron Clark was recognized as a leader in the field of boys camping, and was considered for Presidency of the American Camp Director's Association (Which would become the American Camping Association). The State Committee worked on the problems of shelter, and from 1919 to 1924, it began to plan cabins to replace the tents that had been used up until then. In 1925, 10 cabins were constructed, with a further 20 the following year. The State Committee sought to raise $25,000 for this project, which would also include a central administrative building, an infirmary, a boathouse, a workshop and several others. An observatory was planned, but never built, due to costs. Camping age was raised again to 12, and enrollment open to any boy with 'sound moral character'

1922 - First World War Memorial was constructed, the Great Stone Seat, build by campers and staff members, and constructed with local stone, save for rocks on the top of each end, with stones from other locations from where camp existed. Other stones, in the center of the seat were shipped from France, from where battles in which Abnaki lost campers were held. Two marble plaques listed the 14 campers who died in the war.

1925 - First ten cabins constructed and ready for use.

1926 - 20 additional cabins constructed, as well as other camp buildings. This period also shows the use of the camp during the off-season, as boy scout troops would also visit the camp and use the facilities under their own leadership.

1927 - Administrative Building completed, designed by Clark.

1928 - Camp Committee raised a further $10,000 to complete the buildings still under construction, although this building campaign would stall with the death of Clark in 1929. Camp would not expand until after the second World War.
Early in 1928, a fire broke out in the Burlington YMCA building, destroying many of the relics and records that the camp had stored there, distressing Clark and the Camp Committee. 1928 would prove to be Clark's last year, much of the day to day operations being handled by Charles McGovern, the assistant director. While Clark lived at camp, his only functions were religious services and the occasional story at a campfire.

1929 - May 4th, Clark died in a hospital in Manchester New Hampshire. His remains were cremated and buried on camp property.

1930 - Walter McGovern becomes second camp director. This period would have been constricted due to the onset of the great depression, and camp development would be limited.

1932 - George Merriam becomes third camp director.

1936 - Alfred Morrill becomes fourth camp director.

1938 - Junior village established by Roger Blood, and housed campers 12 and under, and became the predecessor to the current four village system based on age catagories. This is likely due to pressures to increase enrollment, and the age limit of 12 was dropped to a younger age.

1940 - Pueblo Village was created, as an offshoot from the Junior Village, furthering the move towards multiple villages.

1941 - Pearl Harbor attacked by Japanese forces, bringing the United States into the Second World War on the side of the Allies. Camp was used for drilling at one point, and would have likely caused a shrink in enrollment and staff employment.

1944 - Clyde Hess becomes fifth director.

1948 - Holland Hazen becomes grounds keeper.

1951 - Camp celebrated its 50th anniversary, it's golden anniversary, and to celebrate, each of the camper cabins were painted a bright yellow.

1952 - This year marked the end of the passenger rail service to Abnaki, most likely due to a decline in passenger transportation via trains as the automobile became more popular in the post-World War II era.

1953- Camping sessions reduced from 1, 10 week session to 3, 3 week sessions, a move towards the shorter sessions that camp operates on today.

1954 - Camp was Quarantined for 10 days during a Polio scare as two boys were found to be infected.

1956 - An off site tent group was established for older campers, at one of the prior camp locations, Camp Hibbard.

1959 - Director's Cabin constructed, near the infirmary. Clyde Hess passes away in the fall of that year.

1960 - Norman Van Gulden becomes sixth camp director. Counselor In Training program established for the first time.

1962 - Camp at this time is split into four seperate villages. In 1962, they are given their current names, Tamakwa (Beaver), Mehkoa (Squirrel), Maddewehsoos (Porcupine) and a tent village called Moossquasoos (Muskrat).

1968 - Capital Campaign instituted to provide a new dining hall, village, simming dock, water system and workshop. $250,000 raised.

1970 - Chippewadchu Village constructed on the hill, for the oldest campers. Camp is now running on a multiple village platform, split by age groups.

1971 - Dining Hall, (Herbert and Margaret Turrell Memorial Dining Hall) finished and dedicated. Holland Hazen, the grounds keeper, passes away - second longest record to Byron Clark in service to Abnaki.

1976 - 75th Anniversary. Plans for a new Madewhesoos village begun, two additional tennis courts constructed and improvements to the Infirmary were conducted.

1988 - John Kiewitt becomes seventh camp director.

1989 - Mike Sowles becomes eighth camp director.

1990 - Ownership of Camp passes from the State YMCA to the Greater Burlington YMCA. Dave Deluca becomes ninth camp director.

1995 - Nelson Bagnardi becomes tenth camp director. Odzihozo group formed by Adam Brooks, Randy Smith and C.J. Aldrich, III. This recognizes people who have been with Abnaki for 10 years. In addition, cabins from the water front line moved to become the current Mehkoa village, at the time, the second oldest village. It would become the second youngest village in 2003, and the youngest village in 2006.

1996 - The Chippy Tower removed from Chippy hill due to safety concerns.

1997 - Major rennovations to structures on camp, including new roofs, windows, doors and ceilings.

1998 - Major damage to camp due to '98 Ice Storm, causing $30,000 to $60,000 in damages.

2000 - Conference Center completed. Adam Brooks becomes 12th director of camp.

2001 - Camp celebrates it's centennial year with a special board posted for campers to sign (now in Long House), and July 10th is declared Camp Abnaki day. Over 700 boys attend camp.

2003 - Director Adam Brooks resigns and is replaced by Assistant Director C.J. Aldrich, III (13th director of camp).

2004 - Jon Kuypers becomes 14th camp director.

2006 - Skateboard blacktop constructed, as well as improvements to several camp facilities and a new camp store.

In the time off from work, I've been working on a new paper that I'm hoping to get published sometime down the road. For the past eight or so years, I've worked or helped out at YMCA Camp Abnaki, and over that time, I've gotten really interested in the history surrounding camp. I was able to get some documents when I was up there last time to do some more research on various aspects of the camp's history. I've been intending on working on a larger history of camp through a set of papers. There's a lot of possibilities for work with this camp's history.

While going through the documents, I started writing up a timeline of Byron Clark's (the founder of camp) and found that he was not only involved in camp, but over twenty different organizations in the Burlington era, but also was involved with World War I, and might have been responsible for bringing the Boy Scouting movement to Vermont. When I consulted with one of the doctors here, he suggested to look at him as a progressive, which makes sense seeing that he was most active during the progressive era.

After another consult, I've gotten a bunch of sources and places to look, and I've since started an outline and have started working out the bits inbetween. He looks like a facinating person, and much much more interesting than I had previously known, which had been through the view of Abnaki. Now, with a larger view, it's a much more complicated picture.

More as I write it up.

Can be seen here: http://JediTrilobite.blogspot.com

Hi guys, this blog is coming soon.