Campers at Columbus?

[Summers End]

Hi all, for any of you interested in Camp Columbus, I have set up a facebook page where you can add pictures or memories. Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Camp-Columbus-Bamber-Lake-NJ/231302316366?v=wall. It's nice to keep the old memories alive. Chris Holt 1967-75.

 

[johnm1961]

Fond memories.

I was a camper in the early 70's. My final year there I was a season camper, but went home with my family for a week in the middle, then came back. I really used to like the hikes, especially the wet hikes. I know when I was there the dam was broke and there was a swimming pool. That was kind of a bummer. It was really cool to read the memories posted here, brought me back a bit. I do remember one counselor there who was not my counselor, mine was Rich C.. This other counselor took me under his wing and showed me how to hit a softball. After learning from him, I hit a ball to the Rec Hall, (in the air), I ended up winning Athlete of the Week because of it. I also remember boxing night on Wednesdays and campfire on Fridays. I really wish I could remember this counselor's name, he was such a nice guy. Well, that's it for now, unfortunately, i don't have any pics to share, but it was great to see the ones posted.

 

[Ski]

I Was a Counselor in 1971-1974 at Camp Columbus

I stumbled on this web site the other day and I want to say thanks for bringing back lots of great memories. Both my brother and myself were Camp Counselors, his reign was in the 60's with John Sherry as a counselors and I was with John Sherry as the camp director from 71 to 74. I always had the cabin in the corner of the senior village closest to the lake and next to the office. Those were some of the best times of my life, memories that stuck with me and make me smile to this day.

The whole school year I looked forward to my summers at Bamber Lake! The wet hikes, hikes to the ghost factory, railroad trestle and Whitening Lake. Hours at the lake manning the wooden float in the clear cedar water. Probably what we did to the campers would constitute a law suit today, but it was just good old fun. We were saddened to go home each summer in spite of no electricity, no TV and no video games!!!!! Amazing.....

The campfires were a real hoot, I was Uncas the Indian brave and would jump over the campfire at the beginning of the ceremony. I know many of you think the damn broke and drained the lake, but actually we had a constant battle with the local boys who would pull boards out of the damn so the runoff below the damn would fill with water. There was a name for that area, just can't recall. Anyway, we would always replace the boards to keep the lake filled. In 1973 we lost the battle and too many boards being removed compromised the damn and drained the lake. We had swimming pools in 1974, that was the beginning of the end for CC.

I joined the Air Force in 1974 following Camp and stayed with that career for 30 years. In my early Years in Asia and later Alaska the great memories of Camp Columbus kept me going on many a lonely night. I have a some pictures if anyone is interested, both from 62-64 as well as 71-74 and would be happy to share. Don't know how often this site is visited, but I hope to hear more CC stories, Cheers

 

[Teegate]

Great photo's and thank you for the memories. We all appreciate it I am sure. Where was the ghost factory?


Guy

 

[turtle]

I see toothpaste names on the bunk room walls in picture #3! That's cool.

turtle

 

[Ski]

Ghost Factory

The ghost factory was said to be an old pottery factory a mile or two from the camp through the woods. The dril was to hike in and let the campers dig around for about an hour looking for shards of pottery usually followed by a ghost story fabricated on the spot. Great fun!

 

[Teegate]

The ghost factory was said to be an old pottery factory a mile or two from the camp through the woods. The dril was to hike in and let the campers dig around for about an hour looking for shards of pottery usually followed by a ghost story fabricated on the spot. Great fun!

Thanks for the photo's! Can you go into more detail where this factory was? Which direction did you go?


Guy

 

[Ski]

Ghost Factory

I'll do my best, been a long time and a lot of brain cells ago. We walked out of the camp toward the main road, just before the main road there was a path to the left in the direction of Whiting Lake. Followed that trail for a 1/2 mile or so and it took us deeper into the woods toward a big opening. Some foundation walls were still standing, it was kind of obvious when you had reached it. Sorry I can't do much better than that, I will attempt to draw a map. The story passed down to us was that it was from the civil war error.

 

[Teegate]

I'll do my best, been a long time and a lot of brain cells ago. We walked out of the camp toward the main road, just before the main road there was a path to the left in the direction of Whiting Lake. Followed that trail for a 1/2 mile or so and it took us deeper into the woods toward a big opening. Some foundation walls were still standing, it was kind of obvious when you had reached it. Sorry I can't do much better than that, I will attempt to draw a map. The story passed down to us was that it was from the civil war error.

That leads me to believe they are the foundations from the orchards which is much more modern than the civil war era. Bobpbx can help us out most likely.

Guy

 

[Summers End]

Memories

Hi Jim, I remember you at Camp Columbus like it was yesterday. I was camper there from 1967-74 and a worker in 1975 (sadly the last year it was open). You worked with my brother, Bill Holt, in 1973. He was a Cub Village counselor. The pictures you posted are priceless. I recognized so many old friends. Barbara Martin, Kathy Eden, Kevin Wilsopolski, Kevin Donohue, Skeleton (whose real name was Steve I think) and many others. Thanks for the post.

 

[johnm1961]

skeleton

Hi Jim, I remember you at Camp Columbus like it was yesterday. I was camper there from 1967-74 and a worker in 1975 (sadly the last year it was open). You worked with my brother, Bill Holt, in 1973. He was a Cub Village counselor. The pictures you posted are priceless. I recognized so many old friends. Barbara Martin, Kathy Eden, Kevin Wilsopolski, Kevin Donohue, Skeleton (whose real name was Steve I think) and many others. Thanks for the post.

I remember skeleton

 

[johnm1961]

The ghost factory was said to be an old pottery factory a mile or two from the camp through the woods. The dril was to hike in and let the campers dig around for about an hour looking for shards of pottery usually followed by a ghost story fabricated on the spot. Great fun!




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Thank you for reminding me about the ghost factory, took me back. Also, great pics, I especially liked the one with the boxing ring and the circle where we used to have our Friday night campfires.
]

 

[Ski]

Check Out the Additional Pictures

Go to the facebook account Chris set up I posted more pictures there from the 70's, enjoy

Jim

: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Camp-C...2316366?v=wall.

 

[PINEY MIKE]

funny, but neat pics.

 

[jmccarty]

Great Pictures

The pictures are great guys. I will put some of mine on this summer as soon as I get my nephew the computer wizard over here to help me. It was forty years ago this week (6/24/2010) that I reported to Pat Dolan at Camp Columbus as a councelor. Man, where have the years gone? I'll probably take a ride down next week to look around again.

 

[jmccarty]

Since it has been almost two years since I made my last contribution to this string I guess we can assume that Facebook has taken over. A shame.

 

[Teegate]

Since it has been almost two years since I made my last contribution to this string I guess we can assume that Facebook has taken over. A shame.

Come back in two and we will all be asking what is Facebook? At least I hope so.

I guess this could go with any website and not just Facebook even though I believe Facebook is the main one. My daughter just told me that a friend of her's had to delete her account because her boyfriend is trying to get a law enforcement job. They check into the backgrounds of everyone you know and there were concerns that her account could derail his employment. Anyone who posts on that site should think about the future consequences of it not just for themselves. If you are related to someone, or are friends with someone and you have posted photo's of them lets say holding a beer, you may be causing them problems in the future.

Guy

 

[Boyd]

Well for one thing, it looks like you never followed through and posted the pictures that you said you would.

The pictures are great guys. I will put some of mine on this summer

 

[Bedivere6]

I was a camper from 1970-73 and Ski was my counselor in 1973. great memories of camp, the wet hikes, the canoe trip to Batsto Village, horseback camping one year (I forget where) and all of the people. I also remember the year of the Wilkes-Barre flood when the camp took in a whole bunch of boys from that area. I was never a Boy Scout but Camp Columbus gave me some great outdoor memories.

 

[jmccarty]

I was a camper from 1970-73 and Ski was my counselor in 1973. great memories of camp, the wet hikes, the canoe trip to Batsto Village, horseback camping one year (I forget where) and all of the people. I also remember the year of the Wilkes-Barre flood when the camp took in a whole bunch of boys from that area. I was never a Boy Scout but Camp Columbus gave me some great outdoor memories.