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| Camp Iss-See-Kes patch from an online auction site |
Although I was never at the Camp, which was operated by the Elyria YMCA for decades, I do remember the similar Indian head sign further north near Mill Hollow from when I was a kid. It was one of those landmarks that we watched for every time we went out that way.
Today the former camp property is a privately owned residence.
You can read a little more about Camp Iss-See-Kes at Rich Tarrant's Vermilion Views website by clicking here.
I was surprised to find out that apparently there is no tribute site dedicated solely to the Camp. There is the odd mention of it on a few websites, as well as a vintage postcard (below) that seems to be fairly easy to find.
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| The "Rotary Lodge" at Camp Iss-See-Kes Circa 1946 (Photo courtesy of Elyria Rotary Club) |
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| Ad from June 7, 1957 Lorain Journal |
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UPDATE – Thanks to Tom Glunt, who sent me an email, I'm now aware that Camp Iss-See-Kes does indeed have an online presence. Here's the link to its Facebook page that has been around since 2010. Be sure to drop by the Facebook "camp" and relive some happy memories through the wonderful reminisces and photos that have been posted!
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UPDATE (June 21, 2017)I posted a June 1965 full-page Lorain Journal article about Camp Its-See-Kes here.
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| October 2023 Photo |
13 comments:
I sent this link to my youngest brother in CA and this is what he wrote back - "Our entire 3rd and 4th grade classes at Prospect (Oberlin) went there for an overnight camping trip when I was in the 4th grade. Awesome memories. Lots of adult supervision , activities and fun.
We boarded the buses in the morning at Prospect in a heavy rain,thunder and lightning --it was probably late May or early June at the end of the school year. When we got there, the camp was still raining hard so they had us go to that Lodge in that picture on the link you sent and they showed us a movie --The WOLFMAN ! I think it was the Lon Chaney version but it may have been the one either just before it or thereafter. It was a dark scary morning and we were all crammed in there watching that old black and white movie --great
setting; I think it scared some of the girls since; totally awesome and scary.
I remember bunking in bunkbeds with someone on the top bunk; he had a watch that had an glow in the dark face and we thought that was cool. The art teacher at that time was the adult that camped in the same bunk house and he told some
ghost stories that was fun..
How neat to see that site and that old sign --would love to have it on a post in our back yard...". Me too!
That was Clearview High Schools "Band Camp" for many years.
One time- at band camp, I----never mind !!
I appreciate the comments! I had no idea that other organizations and schools used the Camp too!
I am not familiar with the camp, but I agree that this is crying out for its own tribute website with recollections of former campers. I would love to read more about it. Maybe somebody will see this post and take up the project. Things like this shouldn't be lost to time and fading memories.
When I was with the Special Opportunities Program at Oberlin College back in '68, we spent a weekend there, fuishing, camping, running around the woods, catching snakes and stuff.
My younger brother, Phillip, went there every summer when he was in grade school and junior high.
I just bought that same patch... I just liked the vintage graphic... but it is nice to see some history of the camp! Thanks. Stephen in Springfield IL.
I went there probably 1966-68 from Berea and loved it. My parents sent me for week and I remember the cabin with bunk beds and having a great time doing crafts and outdoor activities!
Mark
Went to Camp Iss See Kes for many years in the last 1950's. I remember a whole week (6 days, 5 nights) cost $21.00. I loved the tetherball pit, even went for horseback riding once one summer while there! The campfire sessions and sing-a-longs at night were so cool.
I am almost 73 years old and I went to Camp Iss-See-Kes in 1956 and remember it very well. As an adult, I used to walk the Vermilion River with my daughter who is now 44 yrs old and we would stop at the camp. In about 1984 the YMCA still owned it and we got permission to camp out there with several of my 4-H kids, including my daughter. It was so nostalgic to me. The buildings were still all there but very run down. How sad that it is so lost in the history of this area:( I would dearly love to see it one more time if there is anything left of it. I know it is privately owned so that will likely never happen. I can still sing the camp song. It was one of the best weeks of my young life!
My older siblings used to go tobogganing there in the winter, this was in the 50's and early 60's. It was a man made track or chute and you would pile on the toboggan at the top flat area and then when everyone was ready a board holding the toboggan in place was pulled up and out and the sled would go speeding down the hill. The one in Stongsville operates on the same premise. You walked back up the hill carrying the sled to do it all over again. I never got to go there, my mom thought it was too dangerous and dilapidated in the mid and late 60s when I was old enough to go there. It eventually closed to the public probably because of the liability, it was very primitive. We lived near there and passed it everyday on the way to school (Firelands) riding the school bus. There used to be a home movie of my siblings tobogganing there, I don't know if it still exists or not. We loved to watch it in reverse and see the toboggan go up the hill. lol
My only memory of going there was with our church youth group (Lorain) to go tobogganing. The description above is quite accurate! Not the safest activity, very little supervision, and a ton of fun!
Our school bus went by there every day (Firelands) which elicited many stories.
Many years later I got to go back there with a delivery to the new house being built next door...a pretty prime piece of property!
In case you missed it, I did a post about repairs to the toboggan shoot here:
https://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2019/09/camp-iss-see-kes-toboggan-chute-sept.html
Our school south Amherst went to camp in 5th grade. We had a wonderful time. My brother was in high school and he went as a counselor. Dick Goddard came we talked about weather and then shot off rockets. Stayed in the cabins. I can't even begin to say what a wonderful experience and amazing memories!
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