Just heard some sad news.
The Greater New York Councils Camping Committee has voted not to operate Camp Kunatah for the summer of 2008.
This decision was largely based on the recommendations of the Ten Mile River Task Force. The Task Force was formed to review all operations at Ten Mile River and develop a plan to streamline operations to offer better facilities and program opportunities for the Scouts of New York City. Quality of program, facilities, capital needs, quality of staff, attendance and overall layout of the reservation were reviewed.
The Greater New York Councils and the Jewish Committee on Scouting are finalizing plans to offer Kosher meals prepared off-site and served in Camp Keowa Dining Hall and Kosher raw food and equipment for patrol cooking at Camp Aquehonga. Dietary needs will be accommodated and religious services will be provided for former Camp Kunatah campers at these sites. The Council stands dedicated to serving all Scouts from New York City with a high quality outdoor program.
This was a very difficult decision to make, but we firmly believe it is the right decision for the Scouts of New York City and for the future of Ten Mile River Scout Reservation.
The Task Force will continue to evaluate all programs, facilities and operations at Ten Mile River. A long-range plan for the redevelopment of the reservation should be drafted by late spring and will be shared to leaders and staff this summer at Ten Mile River.
Via the GNYC homepage.
Sad day,
This is sad news. Rock Lake without Scouts on it! My father went to camp there in the 30’s. My four brothers and I went there in the 60’s at Chappagat and for the 70’s and 80’s at Kunatah. It was always nice to be away from the other camps. Off in the more hilly terrain along the Delaware. I went back there in 2005 with my wife and went by the camp. It looked great then. We asked permission and they let us go up to the Indian Cliffs. So does Kunatah go the way all those other camps around there have gone? I remember the Chappagat open-air mess hall. They showed films at night on a 16mm projector. WC Fields! Time was so endless there. I was there as a scout or a leader from 1972 to 1985 and I can still smell the place. I remember that old mess hall up on the Indian Cliffs that had been abandoned for years when I saw it in the 70’s.
It’s really a special place, the woods are really dark and deep around there. I can’t imagine the Scouts losing their connection to the Indian Cliffs and the Delaware river.
WoW, i’m so sorry to see kunatah close down. I was there from maybe 93 to 98 and my uncle was there every summer since 1976. I can still smell the mess hall and the lake and that veiw from the indian cliffs was priceless. I have so many memories from there but the best memories are from walking from kunatah all the way to the deleware river and camping out there. wow
I went to camp there in the late 40’s and early 50’s. Yeah the Indian cliffs were great, and part way down there were shallow caves, and when you finally got to where you were going to camp by the Delaware river you could see the freight trains in the distance in Pennsylvania, and all night hear their horns blasting. I remember taking along a 10 can of apple butter and bread for our meals, and making a leanto out of pine needles.
The only time I knew of was in the winter of 1949, TMR had a winter camp, over the Christmas Vacation. Because all the water was shut off we had to go by truck into town and fill up milk cans with water to cook and drink. I don’t remember which building we all slept in, but it was big and it had double bunks down each side of the room. We celebrated the new year for 1950 by building a a 49 and a 50, out of logs and setting the 49 on fire at midnight on a pond .We had a patch made up and I will try to find it and post it.
Great memories
Ron
I went to Camp Kunatah around 1956 or so for two summers. I remember it as a “kosher kamp”. The first year was great. First 2 weeks was in a generic troop, where we slept in an old very large army tent.
The second 2 weeks was with my scout troop and they hired two airmen form the air force to be our scout masters. It was great. They taught us how to march and do marching chants and some other military stuff that came in handy in later life.
The second summer was similar except the second two weeks, when we were with our own troop, the scout master didn’t show. Being one of the younger of the troop, the older scouts harassed us and it was a very unhappy time for me.
I had studied the saxaphone up until that time. The camp bugler taught me how to play the bugle and even let me blow the bugle calls during the day, from first call to taps. I especially liked playing, “to the colors” during the raising and lowering of the flag. I really enjoyed that. From there, I changed from the sax to the trumpet and played it in the orchestra and band of junior high and high school.
I remember the hikes over the mountain and to a campsite by the deleware river. Cold with lots of sharp rocks. The lake was very cold, but I thought it was named white Lake. Two Catholic kids I was buddies with, in Brooklyn, were at Chapagua. I remember the donut place we would stop at during our hikes. I also remember the secret organization called the WWW, which stood for Wemontenyank (or something like that) W…… W……. Anyone know what the other two W W stood for?
I am 65 now, but will always remember my adventures there.
Fred
I want to KUNATAH for four summers in the early sixties. The first summer I was a bit timid due to my never being away from home for so long. I went on the first trip (2 weeks)that first year.. Those two weeks hooked me. The next three years were full summers at KUNATAH along with four or five of my buddies. The camp director’s name was DOC. I remember him coming down from Rhode Island and always playing a Slide Whistle. The Head of the Mess Hall was Moose. My Camp sites were Sequoya, Seneca, Chappaqua and Back Woods.
I don’t understand why they would elect to close down a WONDERFUL place like Camp KUNATAH…… Sorry to see you go. 🙁
As Scoutmaster of troop 238 I brought my troop to Kuantan 94, 95,96,97…..It saddens me greatly to know of it’s closing…..in 95 we held a memorial ceremony for the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing at a camp wide campfire and dedicated a plack for the same which was placed in the dining hall…..the next year we installed a plack dedicated to scouts young and old who had passed away……this plack was also in the dining hall……it hurts to see another scout camp close……Kuantan has gone the way of Spruce Pond and Seneda Hills…..I wonder if the stuff in the dining hall was saved or if it was ever photographed…BSA and council can destroy the camps, but our memories will last forever….
Parts of Kuanatah live on. The Flagpole was moved last year and is now outside the TMR Museum in the headquarters area along with the dedication plaque. It was rededicated last Alumni Day.
This past winter the Kunatah Trading Post was moved to the Museum compound where it will be used for storage and a Museum workshop to expand the available space in the Museum.