2. A short history of organized camping
Part of Camp leadership basics, an introductory course on general camp-leadership knowledge. It is not the official material of any certification course.
In this lesson
- Key dates in U.S. organized camping
- Outward Bound, NOLS and Project Adventure
- How Japan's camping history compares
United States: the first organized camps
| Year | Event (ACA timeline unless noted) |
|---|---|
| 1861 | Frederick W. Gunn took his whole school on a two-week trip; the class hiked to their destination and set up camp. ACA calls the Gunnery Camp the first organized American camp, and the Gunns continued the tradition for fifteen years |
| 1874 | First YWCA camp offered |
| 1885 | First YMCA camp. It became Camp Dudley, the longest continually operating camp in the United States |
| 1910 | First official Boy Scouts of America camp, at Silver Bay, Lake George, New York. ACA founded as the Camp Directors Association of America |
| 1948 | ACA adopts standards |
Adventure and leadership schools
- Outward Bound (1941). Lawrence Holt, part owner of the Blue Funnel shipping line, wanted training for young sailors; Kurt Hahn developed the courses. Holt insisted the first course start on October 14, 1941, only five weeks after the offer, at Aberdovey on the Welsh coast. Hahn credited Holt with the name "Outward Bound" (Outward Bound International).
- NOLS (1965). The National Outdoor Leadership School began in a small cabin in Sinks Canyon, Wyoming. Founder Paul Petzoldt wanted to develop leaders who could live responsibly in the wilderness and teach others to do the same.
- Project Adventure (1971). A leading organization in experiential education since 1971.
These programs share an idea that runs through this course: the outdoors is a classroom for learning about yourself, other people and the natural world, and risk is something to manage, not simply eliminate.
Japan for comparison
YMCA Japan describes a 1920 camp near Mount Rokko, run by the Osaka YMCA, as the first camp in Japan. Japan's camp association records both that 1920 camp and a 1916 Boy Scout encampment by Lake Biwa. Claims about "the first" camp depend on definitions, a theme we return to in lesson 11.
Think it through
- Why do you think adventure education grew out of training for sailors and wartime youth?
- What would a camp's founder in 1861 recognize in a camp today, and what would surprise them?
Related on this site
Everyday
Look up the history of a camp or outdoor center near you and why it was founded.
When it counts
Knowing that outdoor living skills rest on a long tradition of teaching makes them easier to trust and pass on in a crisis.
Sources and when we checked them
- American Camp Association, Timeline of ACA and Summer Camp (checked 2026-10-31)
- Outward Bound International, Our History (checked 2026-10-31)
- NOLS, History (checked 2026-10-31)
- Project Adventure, Who We Are (checked 2026-10-31)
- YMCA Japan, 100 years of YMCA camping (in Japanese) (checked 2026-10-31)
- Japan Camp Association, History of camping in Japan (in Japanese) (checked 2026-10-31)
Spotted a mistake? Tell us through the contact form ("Report a mistake"). We check it, fix it, and log the change in Updates.