Timeline

First Mennonite congregation established in NYC (Fox Street) 1949

First organized camping for NYC youth (Camp Tel Hai) 1953

First meeting to discuss purchasing a camp specifically for NYC Mennonites October 1968

Property at Brandt Road, Westbrookville, NY purchased May 6, 1969

Youth Retreat, first program at Camp Deerpark May 30, 1969

First children’s camp at Camp Deerpark July 7–12, 1969

First church retreat July 18–19, 1969

Board of directors formed October 8, 1969

Camp Deerpark Association established for financial support 1969

First fundraising banquet held in Pennsylvania 1970

First voluntary resident staff summer 1970

First NYC area fundraising banquet 1971

Chapel raised for basement addition fall 1972

First paid resident staff 1975

Hill cabins built 1975–1976

“Alamo” and other playground equipment added 1976

New swimming pool built 1977

Spruce Lodge converted to wood heat 1981

Barn “raising” 1983

Neighbor Walter and Jacqueline Mehr house destroyed by fire 1984

Challenge course built 1984

First staff house built 1988

Began producing maple syrup from camp’s sugar maple trees 1997

Forestry team organized to manage Camp Deerpark forests 1998

Second staff house built 1998

Dedication of gazebo in memory of Alfred and Dorothy Kruse 2000

FUTURE represents Camp Deerpark with more than 40 performances across the country 2002–2004

Chapel Sunroom enclosed to create second meeting room 2003

New sewer system installed 2003

Spruce Lodge experienced flooding 2004

Hemlock Pavilion constructed 2004

First Camp Deerpark Homecoming held 2006

Wood-Mizer Bandsaw mill purchased 2008

Hill cabins renovated into staff housing 2008

New maintenance building completed 2009

Promise Woods cabin cluster construction begins 2012

Four cabins at Promise Woods placed into service 2015

Locust Haven a.k.a. “The Annex” demolished 2015

Ground breaking ceremony for Promise Woods Program Center 2018

—Compiled by Jim Baer.

Related Entries

• 50 Years of Camp Deerpark Buildings
• 50 Years of Camp Deerpark Directors
• A Beautiful Scene
• A Conscious Decision
• A Place on the Hill