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Rockbrook Camp for Girls
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Rockbrook Camp for Girls is an all-girls sleepaway camp located outside Brevard, North Carolina. Founded in 1921, the camp has operated every summer since, with the exception of two summers during World War II. Rockbrook Camp for Girls is an American Camp Association accredited camp. Philosophy Rockbrook Camp for Girls’ mission statement is: Rockbrook’s Mission is to provide a haven for girls, a place of their own, where they can explore the beauty of nature, try new things, enjoy carefree summer living, and make some of their very best friends. Location Rockbrook Camp for Girls is located in the mountains of western North Carolina on Highway 276, four miles south of the town of Brevard in Transylvania County. The property is 215-acres of wooded mountain-side, and home to Appalachian views, waterfalls, creeks, and rock balds. The property abuts the French Broad River. History Founders Nancy Barnum (Clarke) Carrier (born February 6, 1889-died March 4, 1977) and her husband Henry Nash Carrier (born October 29, 1988- died December 2, 1977) were Rockbrook’s founding directors. Camp Land Owners *Nancy Barnum (Clarke) Carrier and Henry Nash Carrier (1921-1961) *Joseph McConnell (1961-1984) *Teed & David Lowance and Jerry Stone (1984-2000) *Jerry Stone (2000-2008) *Sarah Reed Carter and Jeffrey Carter (2008-present) Camp Company Owners *Nancy Barnum (Clarke) Carrier and Henry Nash Carrier (1921-1943) *Camp Closed, due to the war effort (1943-1948) *Nancy Barnum (Clarke) Carrier and Henry Nash Carrier (1949-1961) *Joseph McConnell (1961-1984) *Teed & David Lowance and Jerry Stone (1984-1990) *Jerry Stone (1990-2008) *Sarah Reed Carter and Jeffrey Carter (2008-present) Camp Directors *Nancy Barnum (Clarke) Carrier and Henry Nash Carrier (1921-1942) *Camp Closed, due to the war effort (1943-1948) *Helen Franklin Carrier and Ellen Hume Jervey (1949-1954) *Ellen Hume Jervey (1955-1966) *Evelyn Verduin (1967) *Jack & Phyl Stevenson (1968-1971) *Elizabeth & Heath Whittle (1972-1974) *Teed Lowance (1975-1983) *Teed Lowance and Jerry Stone (1984-1987) *Jerry Stone (1988-2007) *Sarah Reed Carter and Jeffrey Carter (2008-present) First Camper Betty Verner Hamilton was the first girl enrolled at Rockbrook Camp. Her mother, , was Rockbrook’s neighbor and a famous artist. The family home “Hanty Branch” was located on the west side of the camp property. Architecture According to The Architectural History of a Mountain County (Laura W. Phillips and Deborah Thompson): “Rockbrook survives as the most intact and architecturally complex 1920s summer camp in Transylvania County.” Carrier House: The Carrier House was built in the early twentieth century by Henry Peck Clarke (Nancy Clarke Carrier’s father). Henry Clarke was a South Carolina businessman originally from Connecticut. Royal H. Morrow, a Brevard engineer, designed many of the buildings at Rockbrook, including the five original wood cabins and the “Hillside” stone lodge which were built the first year. Federal Distillery: Rockbrook Camp for Girls is also home to a former Federal Distillery—one of three in the county, and currently the only one still standing. The distillery is believed to have operated from the mid-nineteenth century until Prohibition. Early in the camp’s history the water wheel from the distillery—once used to grind corn—was moved across Highway 276 to provide electrical power for the camp. The building now serves as staff housing for the camp and can be seen from Highway 276. Curosty & Goodwill: Two of the camp buildings, “Curosty” and “Goodwill,” are believed to have been transported from Goodwill Plantation in South Carolina--Nancy Barnum Carrier’s birthplace. Junior Line: Constructed in the 1930s, the Junior Line cabins were built more closely together to provide a sense of intimacy and security for the camp’s youngest campers. Nancy Barnum (Clarke) Carrier Nancy Barnum Carrier, great-granddaughter of circus entrepreneur P.T. Barnum, founded Rockbrook Camp for Girls in the summer of 1921 with her husband Henry Carrier. The camp was established on the Carrier family grounds. Traditions Carrier Pigeon: The Carrier Pigeon started as an in-camp newsletter written by campers and grew into a holiday greeting sent out in December to remind campers of summer. The booklet is comprised of stories, poems, and pictures created by girls while at camp the previous summer. Red Ties: The camp uniform includes a white shirt and shorts (known as “whities”) and a red tie—which has been worn by campers since 1921. Spirit Fire: The last night of each camp session is Spirit Fire, a camp-wide bonfire. That evening electricity is “shut off” and campers go to bed by candlelight. Rockbrook Alma Mater: The song “In the Heart of a Wooded Mountain” was composed by Louise Milner during Rockbrook’s first summer in 1921. In Recent Years Activities Camp activities include horseback riding, hiking, riflery, archery, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, gymnastics, dance, sports, pottery, drama, camp cooking, outdoor living skills, nature appreciation, arts and crafts, and photography. Out of Camp Trips Each session Rockbrook campers who meet the age requirement are invited to go on either a day or overnight rafting trip on the Nantahala River. Overnight campers stay at the Rockbrook Nantahala Outpost in one of three cabins. The property is along the Western North Carolina section of the Appalachian Trail. Notable Alumni Katy Grant, author of the "Summer Camp Secrets" books, which are based on her experience at Rockbrook. The series currently includes: Friends ForNever, Acting Out, Pranked, Tug-Of-War, Rumors, and Fearless. See Also Rockbrook provided historical photographs and anecdotes for the book, Sleepaway: The Girls of Summer and the Camps They Love, by Laurie Susan Kahn. (2003: Workman Publishing, New York). ISBN 0-7611-2691-0 Rockbrook provided photographs and information about its historic log buildings used in the book, A Manufactured Wilderness: Summer Camps and the Shaping of American Youth, 1890-1960, by Abigail A. Van Slyck. (2006: University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis). ISBN 978-0-8166-4876-4 See Also
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