History of the Camps in the Oregon-Idaho Conference

As Recalled by Geneva Cook

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History

The overall camping program in Oregon & Idaho began in 1917 through the Epworth Leagues in Ketchum, ID & Jefferson, OR. Each of our sites has a long history, but here is a brief overview of them:

Alton L. Collins Retreat Center

Alton L. Collins Retreat Center (near Portland, Oregon) began as a small rustic youth camp in the 1930’s or 40’s (I can’t recall the dates) called Leewood on a distant end of the property. The property was purchased after the land had been logged. In 1981, the camping program built an adult retreat center on the other side of the property and the trees surrounding the site are considered “old growth” timber although the site was logged in the recent past.

Camp Latgawa

Camp Latgawa (Southern Oregon) was established in 1953 and was originally called “Dead Indian Soda Springs” (wonder why they ever changed the name!) The camp is located on NFS property near where a mineral spa & hotel existed in the late 1800’s. The camp was originally an ecumenical venture with other Protestant churches with the United Methodist Church taking the lead in recent years. Eventually all the other denominations dropped out and the site was re-named for a group of Shasta Indians who spoke the language “Latgawa”.

Camp Magruder

Camp Magruder (Oregon Coast) Epworth League met for many years at property near the present camp, and then the current property was purchased in 1942 by the Oregon Annual Conference. It has continued to grow and is our largest facility with multiple lodges and cabins for a variety of program uses for up to about 250 people.

Sawtooth Camp

Sawtooth Camp (Central Idaho) The United Methodist Men of the Idaho Conference purchased the land in 1948. An interesting story about the purchase is that before we bought it the valley was scheduled to be strip-mined, but the snow fell early in the fall of 1946 and then a law was passed effective Jan 1, 1947 which prohibited strip mining in the state of Idaho and thus the valley was preserved. It is one of our most scenic camps (check out the pictures on our website!) It has a modern lodge and rustic cabins for summertime use only because of its secluded location. (In the winter, it is under about 10-12 feet of snow and accessible only by snowmobile.)

Suttle Lake Camp

Suttle Lake Camp (Central Oregon) A local church Epworth League began to hold summer camps at Suttle Lake on the Forest Service property in 1920. They held annual camps there and then secured a lease from the NFS in 1925. It now has 2 lodges and cabins to hold up to about 150 people.

Wallowa Lake Camp

Wallowa Lake Camp (Northeastern Oregon) is our oldest camp, having been purchased in 1922 by the Epworth League in the Idaho Conference. It is located on what was originally the homeland of the Wallowa Band of the Nez Perce Indians. It is a cultural center for both Native Americans and many artists in the area. Its central focus has become family ministry with newly updated facilities to support this.