Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) of Portland, Oregon, Camp Meehan-Camp Collins Collection

Collection

Identifier: OLPb171YMC

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection consists of material related to the history, development, promotion, and administration of Camp Meehan and Camp Collins by the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette. The collection also includes miscellaneous material (primarily promotional) related to additional YMCA camps and programs throughout the Northwest.

The collection provides information about camper experiences at Spirit Lake through Officer of the Day reports and other remembrances. Camp development for both Camp Meehan and Camp Collins are documented with particular focus on restoring Camp Meehan after the Columbus Day Storm in 1962 and the aftermath of the Mount St. Helen’s eruption in 1980. Annual planning for camp sessions and events are documented through camp committee minutes, correspondence, and promotional material. Day-to-day camp administration for both Meehan and Collins is documented through camp goals and programs, food program documents, correspondence, and staff and volunteer applications and training material, which also includes records for the International Camp Counselor Program (ICCP) participated in by Camp Collins.

Dates

Creation: 1903 - 2016

Creator

Portland Young Men's Christian Association (Portland, Or.) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish, exhibit, broadcast, or quote from materials in the Watzek Library Archives & Special Collections requires written permission of the Head of Archives & Special Collections.

Conditions Governing Use

May contain some photographs protected by copyright.

Biographical / Historical

Camp Meehan:

Camp Meehan was a Portland YMCA overnight camp that was founded in 1909 on the shores of Spirit Lake in the Mount St. Helens Wilderness in Washington. The camp was originally known as the Spirit Lake Camp, and was later changed to Camp Meehan in honor of John Cooper Meehan (1888-1948) who was a long time supporter and employee of the Portland YMCA. The camp was originally located on the south side of the lake and relocated in 1946 to a location on the north side of the lake near the Coe Mining Company. In 1962, the Columbus Day Storm heavily damaged the camp. The camp ceased to operate regularly for the remainder of the 1960s. Starting in 1970 and continuing to the end of the decade, efforts were made to restore and expand the camp. The Friends of Meehan group actively solicited donations for the restoration of the camp, and Senator’s Henry Jackson and Robert Packwood were solicited for their support for the project. On May 15, 1980, due to the volcanic activity by Mount St. Helens, equipment and boats were evacuated from Camp Meehan with help from Columbia Helicopters Incorporated. On May 18, 1980, the Camp Meehan site was destroyed when Mount St. Helens erupted. After the destruction of the camp, attempts were made to find a new location for the camp.

Camp Collins:

Camp Collins was founded in 1926 near the Sandy River in Oregon and continues to operate as of 2017.

Extent

11 Cubic Feet (15 standard metal edge archival boxes, 4 letter sized banker boxes, 1 legal sized banker box.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Arrangement

The collection was received without an original order. During processing, material was grouped by material type and subject with further subdivisions by creating entity or point of origin imposed where applicable. Whenever possible, material within each series or subdivision is presented in chronological order.