In our last blog we reminisced about Monk Mulligan and the 1950’s at YMCA Camp Greenville. When considering a topic for the 1960’s our branches started reaching out to those who have been touched by Camp, specifically during this time. One of those individuals is Will Nelson and the following is a piece he wrote about one of his favorite memories of Camp Greenville.
“The weekly Camp Greenville trip to the Smokey Mountains was the highlight of many a Camp Greenville camper's time at camp during the 1950's and into the 1960's. The trip was an “extra”, so to speak, in addition to the regular camp activities, and the cost, approximately $5.00 to $10.00, was in addition to the regular camper fee."
"The trip was made every week of camp, starting on a Wednesday and ending on Thursday. The campers rode in the camp bus, which was driven by Monk Mulligan or Luther Marchant, while the tents, food and other items needed went in the camp truck driven by Herbert Love. The truck started out a little earlier, with one or two summer staff to help, and the bus, fully loaded with campers and a few summer staff, left immediately after breakfast. The route was toward Brevard, then through Pisgah Forest, over Wagon Road Gap, to Waynesville and then to a campsite near Bryson City, N.C. Herbert and his summer staff helpers would set up camp and Frank McCurdy, otherwise known to everyone at camp as “Mr. Mac”, did the cooking. Wednesday afternoon was spent looking around Cherokee, N.C., and that evening campers and staff went to see “Unto these Hills”, a staged drama of the history of the Cherokee Indians. We would return to the Bryson City campsite for the night."
"The next day, Thursday, after one of Mr. Mac's great breakfasts, we would break camp and load up the bus and truck. The truck would head back to camp and the bus would head for a boat landing on Lake Fontana. At the landing would be three large “speed boats” waiting to take us down the lake to visit the Fontana dam. The boats were beautiful, being older (1930's era) open wooden boats with large amounts of highly finished woodwork, known as “Miss America” boats. The boats would be loaded with campers and staff and then speeded down the lake to the dam, almost seeming to race each other. The favorite boat, the one every camper wanted to be on, was a Chris-Craft, the “Queen of Hearts”, but the other two were equally fast."
"Upon reaching the dam we were given a tour of the structure, including possibly a visit to the generating turbines. After returning on the boats to the landing, we boarded the bus and made a trip through the mountains back to camp, arriving just in time for dinner on Thursday. Sometimes the bus would be a little late returning to camp and I remember Monk sometimes holding up supper until he heard the bus entering camp. At some point on the trip back the campers would usually start singing an endless version of the old camp song “Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall” which lasted for miles and miles and almost drove Monk, or Luther, and the summer staff crazy."
"It was a wonderful trip that resulted in wonderful memories of Camp Greenville for many campers for years to come.”
Will Nelson – Camper, Board Member and outstanding volunteer.
Rick Burris, executive director, with Will Nelson
Join us next month for a discussion of the 1970’s!
