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YMCA Camp Takodah has always been more than a place that we take for our home. For more than a century, it has been part of the fabric of Richmond, New Hampshire, and the story of the camp is deeply intertwined with the story of the little town nestled in the woods of Cheshire County.
On Saturday, March 21 at 2:00 PM, I’ll be joining the Richmond Historical Society at Veterans Hall on Route 32 in Richmond to share that story during a special presentation on the history of YMCA Camp Takodah and its relationship with the local community.
As a proud holder of a CT 20, I not only serve as the 30th President and Chief Volunteer Officer of the Y, but I am also the historian of our beloved summer camp. I have been studying our records (and much more) since 2011. Over the past several years, I’ve been working to uncover and document the many chapters of Takodah’s history—from well-known moments to stories that have been quietly waiting in archives and old records for decades.
What we’ve found has been both fascinating and surprising.
More Than Neighbors
Camp Takodah first occupied its current site in 1919, beginning what has become a more than 100-year relationship with the town of Richmond.
Since that time, the people of Richmond have been far more than neighbors. They have been partners in the camp’s growth and stewards of a shared history. Generations of residents have supported the camp, worked alongside its leaders, provided local overnight, and helped shape the environment that has welcomed tens of thousands of campers, staff, and volunteers over the decades.
That spirit of community driven collaboration is part of what makes the Takodah story so interesting and, at times, quite unique.
Discovering New Pieces of the Past
While much of the camp’s past is familiar to campers and alumni, recent research has uncovered new details and surprising connections that help fill in gaps in the story. One discovery in particular reaches all the way back to 1794, revealing an earlier chapter and a fascinating story – that most of us thought was a mere legend – in the history of the land and the community that many people have not heard since the wayback days of Elgin Jones in the 1920s and 30s.
Rediscovering lost stories like this remind us that historical research is never finished. There are always new pieces waiting to be discovered—and when we share them, they often help us see familiar places in entirely new ways.
A Research Effort Across the Country
This presentation draws from research conducted in partnership with a wide range of organizations and historical sources, including:
- Takodah YMCA Lake Street Archives
- Historical Society of Cheshire County
- Richmond Historical Society
- Marlow Historical Society
- Kautz Family YMCA of the USA Archives at the University of Minnesota
- National Archives of the United States
- Peabody Essex Museum, Phillips Library
- Federal, state, and local records
- Information gathered from past and present property and utility contractors
- Testimonials and stories from Takodians around the world
Each archive, document, photo, clipping, and personal story has helped bring another piece of Takodah’s history into clearer focus.
And that, my friends and fellow Takodians, benefits us all.
Join Us on March 21
Whether you’re a camper, staff, Richmond resident, local history buff, or simply someone who enjoys discovering the stories behind places we care about, I hope you’ll join us for this special afternoon. Together, we’ll explore how Takodah became part of Richmond’s history—and how Richmond became part of Takodah’s.
Saturday, March 21
2:00 PMVeterans Hall (Route 32)
Richmond, New Hampshire
Sometimes the best way to understand where we are today is to spend a little time exploring where we’ve been.
Zoe mo sas agapo!
CATEGORY: Takodah Whispers