Camp Sloane turns 90

LAKEVILLE — Camp Sloane YMCA celebrated 90 years in Lakeville on Sunday, Sept. 2, with a dinner and celebration.

Executive Director and CEO Paul “Bear” Bryant, interviewed on Tuesday, Aug. 28, provided a vest-pocket history of the camp.

The origins of Camp Sloane go back to 1910, when the Westchester County, N.Y., YMCA began the process of creating Camp Mohegan at Lake Mohegan, N.Y. 

William Sloane, for whom Camp Sloane is named, was on the committee that established Camp Mohegan.

By 1920, the camp had moved to a location variously described as “Calves Island” or “Calf Island,” off the Connecticut coast in Long Island Sound.

Bryant said the history is a little sketchy. He believes the island in question is Calf Island, near Greenwich, but he’s not sure.

In 1928 the Westchester organization bought the Lakeville property from the YMCA of Greater New York, and Camp Mohegan was renamed Camp Sloane.

Bryant said the camp has been coeducational since 1928 — the second YMCA camp to admit both boys and girls.

The camp, like everyone else, had financial problems during the Depression, and declared bankruptcy in 1934. Operations continued, however. 

The camp was incorporated in Salisbury in 1940, and by 1944 had discharged its obligations under the bankruptcy.

Ole Hegge, of Nordic skiing and Salisbury Ski Jump fame, was the caretaker from 1956 to 1967.

The camp has expanded over the years from the original modular buildings (prebuilt buildings known as “Hodgson houses”).

The dining hall was built in 1960, the performing arts hall in 1969, and the swimming pool was added in 1974. More recently, a climbing tower was built in 2014. Visitors will see it on the right as they drive in the main entrance.

During the height of the summer season, Camp Sloane hosts more than 300 boys and girls in residential and day–camp programs.