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January 11, 2024
Happy Birthday Camp Alice Chester
Exploring on adventures, learning new skills, making new friends, developing a deep appreciation for nature, and making lifelong memories? Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast has been doing this for 100 years at summer camp!
We’re saying happy 100th birthday to Camp Alice Chester this year with a celebration of all things camp! Whether you’re discovering wildlife on a hike, swimming in a lake for the first time, or taking aim during target sports, you’re taking part in one of our favorite traditions and in the celebration of a lifetime.
As we look forward to 100 more years of Girl Scout camping in southeastern Wisconsin, we’re looking back at the Girl Scouts who made history and established a living legacy in our region – including you!
Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in 1912 in Savannah, Georgia with a belief that Girl Scouts could do anything. It wasn’t long before this same curiosity and ambition became of interest in Wisconsin. In 1917, Milwaukee’s Troop 1 met at Clarke Street School, and in 1919, the Milwaukee Council was officially organized. By 1921, Alice Chester (our beloved camp’s namesake!) became the council’s first president.
Around this time, national Girl Scout camps were starting to establish themselves too – and the Milwaukee Council was no exception! The first Girl Scout camp, “Beulah Camp” or “Girl Scout Camp,” was hosted in 1922 and 1923 on rented Lake Beulah land in East Troy.
When the Beulah property unexpectedly sold, Alice Chester began the search for a property to purchase as she deeply loved the outdoors and appreciated the skills that being in nature taught Girl Scouts. In 1924, with the help of fundraising money and birthday money given to her by her father, she purchased a 100-acre site on picturesque Booth Lake for Girl Scout camping. The new site – which came with the still-standing Carriage House – officially became Camp Alice Chester, a property that has been enjoyed by thousands of Girl Scouts throughout the years!
When Camp Alice Chester officially opened in 1924, 60 Girl Scout campers attended, enjoying activities like cooking, swimming, arts & crafts, dancing, dramatics, and nature study. Campers enjoyed a special campfire each Thursday too.
Now, 100 years later, thousands of Girl Scouts have attended overnight and day camp at Camp Alice Chester, walking its well-worn trails, participating in water activities, cooking over campfires, sleeping in tents and cabins, making friends, and building skills like leadership, responsibility, and teamwork! Just as Alice Chester paved the way for Girl Scout camping, so do current campers!
Did Girl Scout camp impact your life – at Camp Alice Chester or another property? Do you have a favorite camp memory? Did you meet forever friends at camp? We want to hear from you! We’re sharing our members, alumni, staff, and supporters’ favorite camp memories all year to celebrate the legacy of Girl Scout camping – and how it is paving the path forward for a future of nature exploration, independence, resilience, and friendship.
Fill out this form to share your story with GSWISE today.
Last but not least, save the date for October 5, 2024. We’re hosting a can’t-miss Camporee at Camp Alice Chester so you can enjoy your favorite camp activities with the whole family! More details coming soon.
