Preservation of American youth summer camps: the changing cultural landscape of Girl Scout and Boy Scout summer camps

• Main Author: Racioppi, Michele, 1983-
• Other Authors: Racioppi, Michele, 1983- (author), Woodhouse-Beyer, Katherine (chair), St. Clair Harvery, Archer (co-chair), Mills, Michael (co-chair), Rutgers University, Graduate School - New Brunswick
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Art History; Camps > United States; Historic preservation > United States; Eagle Island
• Online Access: http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.1/rucore10001600001.ETD.000068943

American youth summer camps, first established in the late 1800's, have flourished throughout the 20th century to the present day. Only since the late 1990’s, though, have they begun to be addressed by the academic community. The recognition of camps' historic, social, cultural, and architectural significance has coincided with a major change in the landscape of certain camps, specifically Girl Scout and Boy Scout camps. Scout camps have traditionally offered a more rustic camp style and the option for campers to explore a variety of traditional camp activities such as hiking, canoeing, and crafts. However, both the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts today face significant organizational changes, namely the consolidation of local councils, as well as numerous external business pressures such as high operating costs and competition from other camps. In the face of these pressures, Scout camps are vulnerable to being shut down, sold, or modernized. This has caused controversy among Scouting members, resulting in protests, lawsuits, and even boycotts. More than just a disagreement over whether or not to keep camps open, these disputes include the loss of memories and histories associated with camp sites. This thesis discusses the challenges faced in preserving both physical and intangible aspects of Scout camps, and offers suggestions on how to manage the impending sale of Scout camps while still respecting the strong ties people have to their camps. This is accomplished through an examination of three Northeastern summer camps: Glen Gray in Mahwah, New Jersey, Eagle Island, on Upper Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks, and Mogisca, in Glen Spey, New York. Summer camps, like all cultural landscapes, change over time; however, current changes have been imposed in a manner that has caused concern for those familiar with these sites. This thesis shows that local councils, national Scout organizations, current and former camp attendees, and preservation professionals have many options available to more effectively manage this ...