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The Present Site
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The Birth of Camp Echo at its Present Location
by F. P. Davis, Sr.
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My interst in Evanston YMCA affairs, especially Boys Work, began as a direct result of
my oldest son's having been a camper one summer, long, long ago, when Camp Echo was on
the shore of Portage Lake, Onekama many miles north of Muskegon. I became a Board member
and chairman of the Boys' Work Committee. Distressed by a tragedy when Camp Echo was
sharing a site with the Chicago YMCA, and dissatisfied with camp location and set-up when
on the shore of Diamond Lake I laid before the Board my conviction that it was high time
the Evanston YMCA owned its own camp site. The Board approving I directed the then Boys
Work Secretary, a very competent young man named Freeman, to explore on this and
the other side of Lake Michigan for promising sites. With his customary efficiency he
went right to it and reported to me that he'd come upon nothing on this side worthwhile
my considering but had located one good site on the other side of the Lake some miles
out of Muskegon. He and the General Secretary James Bixby and I went over to have a look
and an option to purchase was arranged. As I remember (this was thirty odd years ago) the
place of property offered contained a body of water called "Town Line Lake."
Before putting the matter of purchase up to the Board I reported to Mr. Chester Cook, a
close personal friend of mine and an ardent supporter of the YMCA and a member of the Board
and of my Committee. He knew of a place in the same general vicinity which he thought could
be had at a great bargain and recommended be viewed and so he, Bixby, Freeman, and I took
off for Muskegon by night steamer with my car aboard. After considerable difficulty we
arrived at the place Cook had told us about onlyu to find it quite unsuitable. I then asked
Freeman if there was any other place he'd come upon and which might be worthwhile viewing.
He replied there was a place which had favorably impressed him
but he hadn't reported upon because he thought it was altogether too distant from
Muskegon. However I was for taking a look anyhow and so were Bix and Cook and when we
finally arrived at the south of Long Lake we were electrified by what we saw -- a
beautiful lake with a peninsula in the middle cleared except for trees around the edge
and a real forrest of trees in the distance.
We found our way to the farm of which this property was a part, told the farmer why we
were there and asked him to direct us to the peninsula when he did. After getting through
the forrest we explored the shore a bit and Bix was all for samplilng the water, removed
his clothing, found a sandy bottom and a good depth not far from shore. It was early
spring and I had a cold but Bix was so obviously enjoying himself swimming about and going under
and coming out like a porpoise I couldn't stand it so I stripped off my clothes and joined.
Well, by that time we were all completely sold on the place and it was agreed that Cook
who was a realtor, and I a lawyer should deal with the farmer. It developed that he was
mortgaged to the hilt and anxious to sell and finally made us a reasonable proposition.
We then immediately set off for Fremont accompanied by the farmer and closed the deal in
the office of a real estate company taking a short-term option and making a small down payment.
We gave up the option on the other place and I reported to the Board whose other members
were very receptive but naturally inquired as to how I proposed to finance the proposition.
I was prepared for that and I said that if the Board would give my Committee authority we
would undertake to raise the whole amount of the purchase price which, as I recall was $5000.
I had a splendid committee and all went to it with a vim and in a surprisingly short time
had the whole amount, closed the deal and thus came into possession of a rare camp site.
Bent upon getting the camp in operation the coming summer no time was lost doing the
necessary things -- driving a well, erecting a building for the serving of meals and
for meetings, planting wood floors for the old tents, putting in latrines, and planting
a dock out over the sandy beach a short distance. Certain members of my committee
contributed water craft and by the time the camping period came along everything was
all set to receive the boys. Later on a dedication ceremony was planned and carried out
and largely attended as evidenced by a group photograph herewith showing the then
president of the YMCA, the late Chas Stevens, presiding.
This tells the story of the first permanent Camp Echo of the Evanston YMCA
which has come to be known as an outstanding achievement.
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