Exploring Rockbrook Camp's Past

Here are two more vintage postcards showing the historic character of camp. Like the others we’ve posted, the Albertype Company produced these postcards in the 1930s. The first is a view of Vesper Rock looking out across the camp lake, and in the background you can see the Lakeview Lodge. The second card is even cooler because it shows what the Carrier’s (Rockbrook’s original owners) waterwheel looked like. It was dismantled many years ago leaving only the stone foundation which you can just barely spot down in the woods below the lake.  Wouldn’t it be cool to rebuild it?  Maybe someday we will!

P.S. Want to see more historic photos of camp, including another view of the waterwheel?  Check out these.

Remembering Camp in the 1930s

Here’s something cool. Back in the early 1900s, the Albertype Company of Brooklyn, NY produced a number of postcards documenting scenes all around the country. Rockbrook Camp was apparently a favorite subject because we’ve found several cards from the 1930s highlighting scenes of camp. They are just excellent archival documents showing what camp was like in the early years.

Here we see a scene of the old horseback riding barn and paddling canoes on the French Broad River as it passes by camp.  Don’t you just love them?!

Traditional Camp Photo

Since Rockbrook is 87 years old (It was founded in 1921), you can imagine that its got loads of traditions… traditional activities, traditional songs, traditional ceremonies, and so much more. Well, it does! One the most meaningful ceremonies is pictured here in the photo: the final campfire of the session called the “spirit fire.” Since the very beginning of camp, it’s been a tradition held to close each camp session. The Spirit Fire represents “the spirit of Rockbrook” by bringing all the girls together and giving everyone a chance to think about their camp experience, the good friends they’ve made, and how much camp means to them. It’s really special and magical every time.

Old Summer Camp Map

We’ve been going through some of the old summer camp catalogs around here and we found this cool old map. It was mailed with the 1941 catalog and is really 14 inches square. Click on the map to see a bigger version, and you’ll be surprised to find song lyrics, buildings with long-forgotten names, the old water wheel (!), and even a little boater. Take a look!

The Fun of Archery

Archery for teens and kids is still an amazingly popular thing to do at camp. Even if you’ve never held a bow before, let alone shot an arrow, it doesn’t take long to figure out the basics. And before you know it, you’ll feel really good about hitting the target, even getting a bullseye. Archery is a really old activity. Some of the oldest arrowheads found are more than 50,000 years old, for example! When you think about it, archery has been a part of probably every society to some extent. Wow! And now here it is at a summer camp for girls called Rockbrook!

Summer Sleepaway Camp Memories

“I have too many fond memories of camp to pick just one! It depends on my mood. Sometimes it is the memory of the candles reflecting in the lake at Spirit Fire. Sometimes it is all the singing we used to do (& the many, many songs I still know by heart). Sometimes it is the zany pranks and fun, kooky things that let us express ourselves so comfortably, like Kangaroo Court. And sometimes it is just the remembered pleasure of sorting mail in Goodwill on a rainy, misty day while everyone else was at lunch — and how the sound of singing would carry over from the Dining Hall. And the sound of the bells in the morning . . . Oh, just everything, then. (Except the spiders in the rafters!)”
— an Alumnae from the 1980s

P.S. This is the cover photo for the 1961 camp catalog!

North Carolina Stone Hotel, c. 1840

It’s always fun to bump into a surprising historical connection to camp. Here’s a great example we spotted recently— a photo of what was called the “Stone Hotel.” It’s on display in the Transylvania County Courthouse (that’s the North Carolina county where Rockbrook is located) with the caption “Built circa 1840.” But do you recognize the big rock up above and behind it? It’s our very own Dunn’s Rock! The junction of Island Ford Road and US276 (Greenville Highway) was once a bustling little town with houses, this hotel, and a general store called “Powell’s Store,” which is still standing and is currently the Mud Dabber’s Pottery. An 1870 census of the Dunn’s Rock Township, as it was called, recorded 80 men, women and children living there. You have to wonder if the hotel was still open when Rockbrook was founded in 1921, and if any Rockbrook Camp families ever stayed there. Pretty cool.

Pirates Rafting and Hiking !!

Hello, faithful readers! My name is Emily, and I am a middler counselor reporting to you the latest happenings at Rockbrook for the week. This past weekend included such festivities as Pirate Day, Carnival, and a four hour hike to Kilroy’s Cabin. Today was the final day for all of our mini-session campers. Last night we celebrated by having a mini-banquet (which I believe was Luau-themed), followed by the traditional Spirit Fire. We will miss our mini-session campers dearly, but eagerly await the arrival of the campers for second mini-session!

There are two rafting trips going on today, a day trip and an overnight, both on the Nantahala River. Mandy and Nurse Jenny braved the white water rapids with the overnight group, complete with campfire and s’mores. Tomorrow they shall return – with a lot of interesting stories, I’m sure. Tomorrow, Lindsay Firestone and I will lead a different group of girls down the river for another day trip. I can’t wait!

All in all, today was a pretty quiet day at Rockbrook, due to the absence of mini-session campers and the two groups of rafters. However, I know later in the week things are sure to get extremely busy around Rockbrook!