1960s: Changing with the Changing Times

Camp Voyageur Through the Decades

The 1960s began with the construction of a 55-foot long Rec Hall. Charlie drilled a well for fresh water and raised poles along the road for a reliable electricity source. Additional cabins were built to accommodate more campers and counselors, and more canoes and a white and blue Crestliner motorboat pulled skiers. Some of Camp’s novel offerings in this decade were particularly unique—such as a kiln in the Craft Shop, and a photography darkroom beneath the Office Cabin; others were new staples that remain to this day, such as a tetherball space and Sunfish sailboat.

But one of the most lasting aspects from the 1960s, and a defining characteristic in hindsight, was an increase in the breadth and scope of trail adventure. Generally, trips were getting longer and they were venturing deeper into the surrounding wilderness. Two groups traveled to Sioux Lookout Ontario. Expeditions explored deeper into the lakes of Minnesota and Canada. Dozens of Voyageurs signed the Root Beer Lady’s log on Knife Lake. The driving force behind Camp’s enhanced tripping was a roster of counselors and older campers who were particularly interested in off-the-grid exploration. Led by the Thum, Bose and Sullivan brothers, Dick Crane, Paul Keller, and others, Camp Voyageur’s tripping program became truly iconic in this decade and is still lauded by campers in the 21st century.