History of the Camp

The history of Summit Grove may be traced through a succession of camp
meetings originating with a handful of Methodists who held their first meeting in a barn, owned by Mr. Lowe in the year 1816. Within a short time after this barn meeting - possibly the next year - the first Camp Meeting was held in Mr. Lowe's woods, under the auspices of what was then known as the Eastern Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The location was near the York Road, opposite the old Blue Ball tavern, which later became an orphanage owned and operated by the county. This original camp meeting was patronized by both white and african american people. The african american folks held their services at night after the white people were through. The camp continued to be held in Mr. Lowe's woods until the beginning of the Civil War. At the close of the war in 1865 it was re-established in a new location known as Raymond's woods, the site of the present camp, where it continued for three years. At that time all the tents, 500 to 600 in number, were of canvas. They were erected along avenues which bore the names of the various Circuits of Districts from whence the tenters came. The avenues all focused toward the center, where the Tabernacle now stands. Aside from the 500 or 600 tents occupied, there were hundreds of families who came in large canopied farm wagons and lived in them until the close of the camp.

In 1868, the location was changed to Freeland, Maryland, where it continued until 1872, when the present site was purchased and the Summit Grove Camp Meeting Association was organized. The camp's name was officially changed to Summit Grove.

In selecting this location the association made a wise choice. It consists of 42 acres of the most beautiful woodlands east of the Rocky Mountains. It is 1000 feet above sea level, thoroughly drained and has an inexhaustible supply of healthful and wonderfully satisfying well water. For those who desire a beautiful and healthful location as well as moral and spiritual environment, there is nothing better.

For more than 60 years the Summit Grove Camp Meeting Association provided the facilities of Summit Grove Camp for use by the Methodist Conference of Baltimore. Many of the outstanding preachers of that day spoke from the platform of the Tabernacle. The cottages were fully occupied until the 50th anniversary held in 1922, after which the attendance began to drop off. By 1935 Summit Grove was only a shadow of what it had been. The buildings were in disrepair and many of them were unoccupied. It was at this time that Rev. William Darling, then pastor of the C & M A church in York, discovered the camp and found it was for sale. He immediately notified Rev. S. W. McGarvey, Sr., who was the the District Superintendent, of the availability of the beautiful oak grove with its many buildings. As a result it was decided to rent the grounds for a camp in 1935. This proved to be both a successful venture and the beginning of negotiations with Mr. William Gisriel, Sr., for the purchase of the 42-acre tract of land with approximately 50 buildings, all of which were in much-needed repair. Fire had taken its toll on several occasions destroying some of the facilities.

The grounds were purchased in 1936 for the sum of $10,520.00 from the Summit Grove Camp Meeting Association. From the very fast, Summit Grove attracted many Alliance people from churches located in the Eastern District as well as others from Western Pennsylvania and New York State.

Almost from the date of purchase, all of the cottages were reserved by pastors and laymen from the Eastern District Churches, with a few still in the hands of Methodist people from Baltimore. These cottages took care of approximately 250 people.

As a result of a tragic fire in 1936, the building, housing, dinning hall, hotel, and several cottages were destroyed which made it necessary to build the first sections of the present dining room. This same year an office building, book store, and lunch stand were erected.

The original Tabernacle, built prior to 1881, was octagon-shaped and approximately 80 feet in diameter. In 1938 it was enlarged by extending the east side and in 1959 a new platform was built with the final extension of the west side and concrete floor being completed in 1971. This has doubled the seating capacity so that the Tabernacle can now seat more than 1500 people when filled. The Tabernacle bell, which has engraved on it the names of the original members of the Board of the Summit Grove Camp Meeting Association, still rings to call the campers to the services. The Youth Tabernacle was built in 1945.

It wasn't long until additional accommodations were needed, which resulted in the constructions of three 20 room dormatories. Plans to replace the cottages, which in most cases were beyond repair, were discussed from the beginning. However, with the coming of the war, building materials and supplies were not available so nothing was done to replace even the most dilapidated of the cottages. Because of the extremely poor condition of some, they were no longer used. With everything being rationed or just not available, it was found impossible to maintain even the ones being used in order to keep them fit for human occupancy. By the end of the war, the cottages were in such a state of disrepair that many felt they were both a health and fire hazard.

What to do was the question! If torn down, it would be financially impossible to replace them. And yet because of their deplorable condition, they must be razed.

At the close of the war, the Executive Committee voted to purchase some Army barracks which were being dismantled. These were reconstructed into six buildings, each having five 2 room apartments, and 3 double cottages. In 1956, six new cabins were constructed on the west side of the grove.

In 1957, on the recommendation of a special conference committee, the conference voted to raze all of the original cottages. Following this, new cottages were built on the west side of the grounds. Modern toilet facilities are now available in all of the buildings with the facilities of Summit Grove under the full approval of the State Health Department. There are two deep wells on the grounds with enough water to supply the entire camp. In order to guarantee an adequate supply of water for every need, the camp also has a waterline from the borough.

An expanded program was launched with a drastic change in policy. Summit Grove had always been operated by the district pastors and their families. However, with the cottages gone there was not enough room for the guests and the official family. In view of this, the management of the camp hired young people for room and board plus a small cash allowance and enough supervisors to handle the several areas of responsibility. This plan worked out satisfactorily.

Almost immediately it was found necessary to erect additional accommodations. Plans were approved for a 12 room motel which was built in 1959. This added to an already heavy debt, but it was felt by expanding the program of Summit Grove to eight weeks, the additional use of our facilities for this period would give us sufficient income to pay for the necessary improvements and accommodations, many of which had been made prior to this time.

This, however, was not the case. It was soon discovered that the camp was losing money on both the early July Conference and the Pastors retreat. After three years it was finally concluded that the two conferences could no longer continue.

The loss resulting from these conferences and the high interest payments added greatly to the indebtedness. In view of this, the executive committee voted to return to a camp meeting program and hold 2 one week family camps besides three youth conferences. This plan worked well with thousands attending all these conferences each year.

The Youth Conferences have proven to be a real blessing to the Eastern District Churches. Each year many boys and girls respond to the invitation to receive Christ and the challenge for Christian service. Many who met the Lord at Summit Grove are now serving as pastors, pastors' wives, missionaries, and active laymen in the churches.

The family camps have been a genuine source of blessing to the many who have attended over the years. The Tabernacle altar has served as the mourners bench for hundreds while literally thousands of christian parents and young people have been renewed by the preaching of the word at Summit Grove.

Great men of God and preachers of the word have ministered from the pulpit of the Summit Grove Tabernacle. A few names to be remembered are S. W. McGarvey, W. G. Weston, P. R. Hyde, H. Jarvis Conley, Tracy Miller, Dr. H. M. Shuman, Dr. H. L. Turner, Dr. Nathan Bailey, Dr. Jared Gehrig, Bill Weston, Rev. George Jones and a host of others. The District Superintendents and the Assistant Superintendents along with many pastors and laymen of the Eastern District have given generously of their time and energies in order to make Summit Grove Camp Meeting possible.

May God grant a continuing fruitful ministry until Jesus returns.