The Two Camps on Hupi Road

Hupi Road runs from Bear Mountain Road east to Route 23, crossing over Tyringham Road.  In the late 1800s, there was a farm to the right of the four corners—at the top of what was called Scott Hill—owned by Homer Dowd.

Camp Fernway/Camp Glenmere

Homer sold some of his property to Nellie Bogart who then tried to develop it into lakeshore lots. In 1918 Dr. Nathan Ives, bought some of the lakeshore lots, two houses and a barn and built a camp for his daughter Eleanor. She called it called Camp Fernway.  It housed all young girls who wore white blouses, green bloomers and white sailor caps.  Eleanor would bring about 45 camp girls and their counselors to the town church. During the two summer months it would be filled to capacity with the girls occupying pews reserved for them on the east side. In 19// Dr. Ives sold the camp to Henry Langar and his wife. Mrs. Langer took care of the girls. In 19// the camp was sold to Paul Winters and he changed the name to Camp Glenmere.

The Jayson Camps

Homer also sold a large parcel to Mr. and Mrs. Oliver in 1921 so they could build Camp Owaissa. The camp was for girls only and consisted of a large building and several bunk houses. One night in early spring, the large building burned down. In 1926 Mrs. Oliver sold the camp to Mr. Alfred Jayson who enlarged it and made one section for girls and one for boys. The bunkhouses held about eight girls and one counselor. The boys slept in tents on wooden floors. The whole camp ate together in one mess hall but played on their own grounds and swam at their own beach. About 200 children were at the camp during July and August. The camp went under the name of Jaysons Camp Inc.—Camp Owaissa for girls and Camp Monterey for boys—until the Jaysons gave up running it in 1969.