Yesterday was a good day for history hunting---at least for my sister and me.
My sister, Vicki Carruthers, remembers attending Camp Talawanda in the 1950's.
Since she had joined my wife and me for a work/vacation trip to Tahoe, she pestered me into tracking down the location of the old camp.
The internet proved useless---not a single hit for the camp----lots of hits for Talawanda High School in Ohio.
Everyone we asked told us to visit the museum at the gatekeeper in Tahoe City
That recommendation proved useful, since the people working the desk knew about the camp .
So we took your advice and headed over to the golf course at Kings Beach.
Driving up and down Hiway 237 (?) made my sister remember a few things----but nothing absolutely solid.
So, we stopped at the firehouse across from the golf range and talked to Captain Beck.
Not only did he know where the old camp was located, he told us that his wife also attended it as a girl.
Then, we drove back up the hiway and took a left turn onto North Ave ( total distance from the firehouse was about 1/2 mile).
Drive down North Ave till it dead ends into Pinenut and there it was.
We expected to see a housing development---but to our pleasant surprise the camp property was still empty land.
According to neighbor Ms. DeJean, the land is under forest service control.
Ms.DeJean told me that the only remnant from the old camp was a "Camp Talawanda" sign held by a neighbor.
Just at dusk, we located the house with the sign---but alas---it had just sold---and during the sale, another neighbor had acquired the sign.
Since we didn't have time to track down the new sign owner, we ended our quest for the day, happy to have accomplished what we did.
Throughout the search, my sister and I got the feeling that there is a story waiting to be told---the story of Camp Talawanda.
There must be a local newspaper reporter who would jump at the opportunity to interview and research the history of the camp.
My sister lived in Marin County during her childhood---yet she went to summer camp at Talawanda.
How many other women did the same thing and might be interested in this potentially significant story of North Tahoe's past.
Who wants to get the ball rolling???
Sincerely, Ed Hodges----retired teacher from San Jose, who also has a cabin at Homewood
My sister, Vicki Carruthers, remembers attending Camp Talawanda in the 1950's.
Since she had joined my wife and me for a work/vacation trip to Tahoe, she pestered me into tracking down the location of the old camp.
The internet proved useless---not a single hit for the camp----lots of hits for Talawanda High School in Ohio.
Everyone we asked told us to visit the museum at the gatekeeper in Tahoe City
That recommendation proved useful, since the people working the desk knew about the camp .
So we took your advice and headed over to the golf course at Kings Beach.
Driving up and down Hiway 237 (?) made my sister remember a few things----but nothing absolutely solid.
So, we stopped at the firehouse across from the golf range and talked to Captain Beck.
Not only did he know where the old camp was located, he told us that his wife also attended it as a girl.
Then, we drove back up the hiway and took a left turn onto North Ave ( total distance from the firehouse was about 1/2 mile).
Drive down North Ave till it dead ends into Pinenut and there it was.
We expected to see a housing development---but to our pleasant surprise the camp property was still empty land.
According to neighbor Ms. DeJean, the land is under forest service control.
Ms.DeJean told me that the only remnant from the old camp was a "Camp Talawanda" sign held by a neighbor.
Just at dusk, we located the house with the sign---but alas---it had just sold---and during the sale, another neighbor had acquired the sign.
Since we didn't have time to track down the new sign owner, we ended our quest for the day, happy to have accomplished what we did.
Throughout the search, my sister and I got the feeling that there is a story waiting to be told---the story of Camp Talawanda.
There must be a local newspaper reporter who would jump at the opportunity to interview and research the history of the camp.
My sister lived in Marin County during her childhood---yet she went to summer camp at Talawanda.
How many other women did the same thing and might be interested in this potentially significant story of North Tahoe's past.
Who wants to get the ball rolling???
Sincerely, Ed Hodges----retired teacher from San Jose, who also has a cabin at Homewood
Great Blog! I especially like the photos.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
Nice work! We should do an SJ history blog, too.
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog about Camp Talawanda. I went to camp there in 67, 68 and 69. The Grandchildren of Wilma have started a facebook page and we have posted a link to this on it. What a wonderful story you wrote. We are trying to find previous campers and may eventually have a reunion in Tahoe at some point. Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteI went to Camp Talawanda every summer for most of the 1960's and would love to connect with others who also went there. I remember Jim Helms, his wife Jeannie, daughter's Leslie and Cindy. I golf every summer at Brockway Golf Course and feel odd as I rode my horse on the course when I did not know better!
ReplyDeleteI thought I already did this, but I don't see anything, so will try again. I am thrilled to see something about Talawanda. I was a camper and counselor there through most of the 1950s. Other counselors were Carla Crippen and Susie Fisher (and many others). I always was a counselor in Village. Great kids. Also got to be riding counselor for a couple of years. Dream job of all time. My name then was Bunny Robinson. Do you know me? Do I know you?
ReplyDeleteI (and my younger sisters) also attended Camp Talawanda and was a counselor there at the same time as you and Susie Fisher: Frances Land. (I was the crafts counselor.)
DeleteI've been looking for information about it, wondering what is still there and if it were threatened by the fires in the area. --All I could find was info about what must be a different Talawanda, a sports team camp connected with Sacramento.
How do we find Talawanda on Facebook?
ReplyDelete