Looking Back – Camp Alice Chester in the 1940s
February 08, 2024
Happy 100th birthday, Camp Alice Chester! Join us in looking back on one of Girl Scouts’ favorite traditions: camp.
By the mid-1940s, Girl Scouting was expanding in southeastern. Just twenty years after Camp Alice Chester opened its doors in 1924, the Milwaukee County Girl Scouts were approaching 1,000 members.
Girl Scouts were learning new skills, taking action through service projects, building lifelong friendships – and establishing new camp traditions as they sported their “Macy” uniforms, named after the Girl Scouts of the USA Edith Macy Conference Center in New York.
In 1941, Camp Alice Chester offered sessions for Girl Scouts with disabilities, as well as a new bicycling session. Around the same time, the Lodge offered a piano for Girl Scouts, and the buddy board system was introduced in the waterfront area. This buddy board practice, which provides a count for those in the water by pairs using a small numbered tag system, is still used today! Campers also enjoyed troop scavenger hunts and cooking with vagabond stoves, which were made from empty No. 10 cans.
While Camp Alice Chester continued to grow, its namesake – Alice Chester – was shaping Girl Scouts on a national level. From 1925-1947, Alice Chester was on the national board of directors, and from 1942-1956, she was the national vice chairman of the Juliette Low World Friendship Committee.
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.
P.S.: 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.
