by Kim Maley, Park Interpreter

Children have been enjoying the summer camp tradition at Camp Silver Creek for over 80 years!

Many Silver Falls State Park visitors are unaware of this historic gem which resides within our 9000-acres.

WPA Promotional Poster, 1930’s

MAKING LEMONADE FROM LEMONS

Built by the Works Progress Administration as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal during the post-Depression reconstruction phase, Camp Silver Creek was one of the 46 Recreation Demonstration Areas (RDA’s) built in the 1930’s and 1940’s, and one of only two RDA’s on the west coast. Roosevelt’s administration was without question ingenious in regards to combating the Great Depression’s economic issues and unemployment with creative and successful solutions! Providing employment and valuable occupational skills to impoverished communities through federal relief programs like Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration (WPA); and promoting conservation of hundreds of thousands of forested lands through the National Park Service are but two feathers in Roosevelt’s cap!

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE…

Fun details can be found in the stonework! Rumor has it the men who built these iconic structures across the nation added subtle touches as tokens for girlfriends back home. It has become a scavenger hunt to look for heart-shaped stones in Civilian Conservation Corps structures around the nation!

TRIVIA QUESTION: On which building at Silver Falls can this heart-shaped stone be found?

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

Whereas the CCC brought boys from distant locations, the WPA utilized local skilled laborers. The local men began construction of the camp in 1934 under the direction of Superintendent Harry Buckley and by 1938 had completed all the administrative buildings and three cabin groups - all in the iconic NPS rustic architectural style. One additional cabin group (1939) and Cook’s Cabin (1947) were added to make up the complete camp. The entire facility was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 2002.

Camp Silver Creek has been administered by the Salem YMCA since the opening of the camp. For this reason, the facility is more commonly known as “The Y-Camp” to Park staff and locals.

NO GIRLS ALLOWED!

Or at least that was the futile attempt in the early days. Camp Silver Creek was originally a boys camp. Camp Smith Creek (current site of Silver Falls Conference Center) was built in the 1940’s as the girls camp.

“I can probably still find the trail we boys used to sneak over to visit the girls’ camp”

-remark from an older gentleman reminiscing about camp antics during a recent visit to South Falls Lodge.

The two camps were combined in the 1950’s, having given up the notion to keep boys and girls separated.

KING OF THE CAMP

Retired Park Ranger Brad (camp name B-Rad), one of my favorite rangers, was the Historic Preservation ranger responsible for maintaining the historic integrity and the functioning of the Y-Camp facilities for 13 years. Certainly no small task!