Social Science

In 1883, eleven Rochester women formed the Young Women's Association, and in 1919 they purchased Camp Onanda to provide an escape for young factory girls. The YWCA carried on that mission into the 1980s so that girls from all walks of life could experience the joys of camp. Over the decades, girls enjoyed summer activities like archery and sailing, drinking "bug juice" around the campfire and swimming lessons. They came from all over to experience the great outdoors, free from the economic hardships and social challenges of city life. In the spirit of that tradition, Onanda is now a beloved public park. Former Onanda counselor Carol Truesdale tells the story of Camp Onanda and of the many lives this camp changed.

Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation opened its gates on July 4, 1937, for its first summer season. Drawing the camp's name from a Native American phrase meaning "friends and brothers," the Massachusetts community of Greater Lowell built the camp in Northwood, New Hampshire, with the vision of creating a place where young men could go on a "voyage of discovery" and eagerly search for "what is over there." Thousands of young people have walked down the trails, gazed at the sunsets, and set out on adventures in the camp's 300 acres. Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation tells the story of how this community developed, built, maintained, and expanded its Boy Scout camp through difficult times, including war and rationing. Now the largest camp of the Yankee Clipper Council BSA, Wah-Tut-Ca receives scouts, families, and adult scouters from more than 50 communities.