History                

       The history of 4-H camping in the Clifton-Yellow Springs area dates back to August of 1923. F.G. Hall, County Agent in Clinton County, was unable to locate a suitable camping site for youth in Clinton County. Looking for a site in a neighboring county led him to the north bank of the Miami River in what is now Glenn Helen.

       Back then, there were no cabins or a dining hall with an electric stove. The two days before the beginning of camp, Mr Hall and four helpers set up tents on the bank of the river. On the beginning day of camp, rain poured all day before the campers arrived. The wet camp site was useless. With the permission of Antioch College, the camp site was moved to the top of the hill. Raining, soggy, sultry, depressing, sleeping on the ground, and cooking in the open, were the orders of that day and the days to come.  Soon after noon mothers, fathers and 4-H'ers began to arrive.  With pants rolled to the knees, raincoats and hats for protection, fathers and sons descended the hill on foot, tore down tents, carried them to the top of the hill and erected them in the new location. Sometimes a rope was tied around a tent to drag it to the top of the hill. Others set up the tents. The first tent to go up was the cooking tent.

        Each camper brought food for the week - live chickens, eggs, canned vegetables, jelly, bread, bacon, potatoes, apples, butter, green beans, cabbage and two dollars in cash. The food was checked and stored. Mothers prepared the evening meal. Daughters helped by stringing beans, peeling potatoes along with getting the tents in shape. After the meal, everyone was ready for a long night of rest.

        This was the humble beginning of the 4-H camping program at Yellow Springs, Ohio