History of Camp Wind-in-the-Pines

Camp Wind-in-the-Pines was originally the summer home of the Louis Liggett family that owned Rexall, the world’s largest drug store prior to World War II. Helen Storrow, a prominent Girl Scout figure who donated Our Chalet, also owned land in the area that became Camp Wind-in-the-Pines.

After World War I, the Liggett family rented their property to Boy Scouts for a summer camp. Their tradition of rousing campers by bugle at 6:00a also awakened other prominent vacation property owners around Long Pond. Boy Scouts were eventually asked to leave.

In the late 1920’s, the Liggetts sold the land to Middleboro Girl Scout Council (one of the many small councils that eventually became GSCSM and now GSEM). The land included the area of the Old Lodge, half of Lookout Hill, and up to Old Whispering Pines, Windy Glen and the Gypsy bathroom.  The land across the lake, which was originally the Frontier Unit, was purchased from Helen Storrow around this time.

These areas were used as the first National Girl Scout Training Camp. Juliette Gordon Low visited the camp during this time and gave us a bugle, which is on display at the current council office in Middleboro.  Camp Wind-in-the-Pines was officially formed in 1929.

Cabins were built in the early 1930’s.  By the late 1930's, Lookout Hill was outfitted with cabins for the youngest campers. Remnants of the cabins' foundations are under the tent supports to this day.

The Old Lodge became the heart of the camp in the 1930's, when it was painted by the staff.  The ivy trim around the windows in the main room is original to this time.

The barn that is used today for arts and crafts was originally the Liggett family's carriage shed.
 

In the 1960’s, the national organization prompted small pushed small councils to merge into larger, more powerful councils -- in our case, Plymouth Bay Girl Scout Council, which owned 28 properties upon its creation.  For financial reasons, it was not feasible to keep them all, and in the end the council kept the 5 camps it retains today.

Shortly thereafter, the council expanded WIP by purchasing the land around the pond that now hosts our day camps.

This land included a frog pond that the original owner had constructed to raise African Bull Frogs that he sold through the Connecticut Valley Biological Supply Company to local colleges for biology classes. The pond is still home to many species of frogs and other wild life today.

Some county roads ran through the camp.  Today, they are some of our most popular hiking trails.

In the 1980’s, the council tried to raise enough money to move the camp up to the top of the property's main hill and create a facility similar to the national organization's Camp Edith Macy.  This did not succeed, but several more affordable projects improved and updated the property.  The Property Manager’s House, Boat House, Balfour Lodge and all of the day camp shelters were built during that decade.

The Nekon, Tattapanum and Merriwood units created at the Day Camp were named after camps that had been in the council's area in the past.  BG's is the  only site named for a person: Cape Cod volunteer Beverly Gardner, a long-time Camp Director at WIP. 

The Lodge at the Day Camp was named for the LG Balfour Company of Attleboro, which donated a large sum of money to a major renovation project at WIP.

A flagpole was erected in front of Balfour Lodge and named the Zimba Flagpole,  in honor of another Cape Cod volunteer.

The amphitheatre was donated during this time by Board Member Nancy Stone in honor of her parents.

Also during this decade, an episode of the TV show Spencer for Hire was shot in the Old Lodge.

The infirmary was built by the New Bedford Kiwanis club.

At at the turn of the century, a new fundraising campaign took place to build the Environmental Discovery Center.  It  includes a large room of hands-on science and nature activities, a troop camping hall, and a tower to house a 20- foot climbing wall and high ropes course.

From 1990 on, improvements continued. Flush toilets and hot showers were put in every resident unit. The buildings were resided to blend in the natural surroundings. Platform tents were put in all units.

A fun run adventure trail was created near the Stone Amphitheater.  It includes a cargo net, tires to run through and loops to swing across.

 A Challenge Course was built in the late 1990's, including 12 low ropes elements to help campers build their confidence. A forest fire destroyed some of the course in 2003.  It was rebuilt in 2007, and new outdoor high elements were added.

Today, Camp WIP's purpose is to give girls a place to discover their courage, confidence and character.  Its 144 acres host many excellent programs every summer, and troops from all around southeastern Massachusetts enjoy camping there in tents and heated lodges all year long.

Important individuals in the history of Camp WIP:

Dot Davis
Barbara DeGraw
Bill and Rachel Hardin
Louis Liggett
Dorothy McCarthy
Elizabeth Robertson
Helen Storrow

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