History of the Camp

The Early Years

In 1931, Denison House, a non-profit corporation dedicated to improving the lives of inner-city youth, leased five acres on Baldpate Pond in Georgetown. The intent was to provide a healthy outdoor experience for children who didn’t have much opportunity to enjoy woods, water, and the wonders of nature. By 1935, Denison House had purchased a combined 36 acres in Georgetown and Boxford for that purpose.

During 1937, Georgetown's Alfred Tidd Builders constructed the Great Lodge at Camp Denison Conservation Area. It is a tribute to his skills that the rustic lodge remains in excellent condition today. A chimney that contains two large natural-stone fireplaces is the focal point of the historic lodge.

In 1965, Denison House and several other organizations combined to create The Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses Inc. Fresh air programs continued at the Conservation Area, emphasizing outdoor recreation, conservation, quality of life, and understanding the habitat. As many as 2,000 campers would attend each summer. One area of the Camp, developed for children with disabilities, operated throughout the year.

Unfortunately, as the years went by, the Camp’s use declined. Buildings fell into disrepair and vandalism caused further damage.

Camp Denison is purchased by the Town of Georgetown

In the late 90’s, The Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, Inc. offered to sell the buildings and land to the Town of Georgetown. In June of 1997, the voters of Georgetown unanimously approved the purchase of the Camp Denison Conservation Area property, including the ten acres in Boxford. The Town of Georgetown formally acquired the property on February 25, 1998.

The land was purchased through a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and placed under the supervision of the Conservation Commission. A Camp Denison Conservation Area Committee was formed, reporting to the Conservation Commission, to be responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the Camp.

Work began immediately on restoring the buildings and grounds, including creating walking trails. Volunteers spent thousands of hours repairing damage and upgrading the buildings to modern safety standards. 

Today, a dedicated group of volunteers continues to maintain and improve the buildings and grounds of Camp Denison, providing a perfect spot for nature lovers to enjoy the beauty and recreational opportunities provided by the woods, fields, and pond.

In Memoriam: Bob Morehouse, 1934-2015

Bob Morehouse, the leader and visionary behind Camp Denison, passed away in 2015. Bob was a man of tremendous talents and background that were essential in the growth of Camp Denison. As chairman of the Camp Denison Committee, and President of Friends of Camp Denison, he was instrumental in having the town purchase the property in 1997, and he worked tirelessly to make Camp Denison the jewel that it is today.

History of the Land 

Formation of the Landscape

Ten thousand years ago, Camp Denison Conservation Area was covered by an enormous glacial ice sheet carrying gravel, boulders, and debris. As the glaciers began to recede, blocks of ice were left behind in the outwash plains. One of these blocks of ice melted to form the basin of what is now Baldpate Pond. The runoff from Baldpate Pond flows to the northeast through Penn Brook and eventually feeds into the Parker River.

Nearby Baldpate Hill is a drumlin, another glacial landform. A drumlin is a smooth, rounded hill that is rarely more than 250 feet above the surrounding land. Drumlins were formed when moving ice sheets pushed together masses of sticky glacial till and molded them into their characteristic oval shape.

History of Baldpate Pond

Baldpate Pond has had many names over the centuries. In the mid-17th century, it was known as Rainer Pond, named after Humphrey Rainer, the only ruling Elder of record in the early Rowley church and the owner of substantial holdings here when the area was part of Rowley.

In the 1700’s when the Perley family lived nearby, the pond was called Perley's Pond. One family member, Jacob, lived in an unusual lean-to house with the oven chimney opening to the outside. It is said that meals left cooking Saturday night for Sunday dinner were occasionally stolen. Eliphalet Perley, who lived during the early 19th century, was known to mow his fields at night when there was enough moonlight.

William Perley, who built his home on the southern shore of the pond, was captain of the Boxford Minutemen and served at Bunker Hill. In 1847, his farm was sold to the Town of Boxford for use as an almshouse. The Boxford Town Farm operated as a self-sufficient means of supporting needy townspeople until 1912. Thereafter it was used as a summer camp by the Lawrence Tuberculosis League. Fine paneling and furnishings from the old home (which has since burned down) are on permanent exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Agricultural Land Use

The presence of old stone walls and abandoned fields attest to the agricultural past of both Camp Denison Conservation Area and the adjacent Baldpate Pond State Forest in Boxford. Agricultural land use in New England peaked in the mid-1800’s. After that, the number of farms and cultivated acres declined steadily. Many young New England farmers left the region for the flat fertile plains of the Midwest.

The vegetation growing in the old fields of the area and elsewhere offers clues to past agricultural practices. The bare ground that results from cultivation provides perfect conditions for many wild annuals that are commonly considered weeds. The number and variety of these plants increases during the first few years after a field is abandoned. Common species include crabgrass, ragweed, and pigweed, all of which prefer sunny conditions and possess a deep root system to withstand drought. Many of these are Old World plants that have followed the spread of farming.

The annuals are followed by sun-loving perennials including goldenrod, aster, milkweed, pokeweed, and brambles. In wetter areas, vines such as wild grape, morning glory, bindweed, poison ivy, and bittersweet can form continuous cover over large areas and slow down reforestation.