History of Burnt Cabin Youth Camp
In 1958, several men in the area held a meeting at Greenleaf State Park to discuss possibilities for a church camp. The first camp was known as Camp Greenleaf and
had 145 campers and 19 adults. This camp was so successful that some of the men decided to volunteer to serve on a board of directors to see about buying land and building a permanent place. The first BOD consisted of Bill Byfield (Eastside, Muskogee), W.H. Skeet Frame (Checotah), Johnny Mahan (Haskell), Idus England, Ralph Breece, Raymond Harrison (all from Central in Muskogee – now Chandler Road), and Buck Dismuke.
After several meetings and looking for land to buy, Ralph & Laura Breece decided to donate five acres of land on Lake Tenkiller. No one really knows for sure how we got the name “Burnt Cabin”. Legend is that the first old settlers had a cabin that burnt down on the land, and they used it to give directions: “Go past the burnt cabin about a mile…” The cabin is long gone but the name has survived.
Volunteers from around the area and a few paid professionals began to clear land, dig water wells, put in plumbing, electrical, and build two dormitories, a kitchen, and dining room facilities. Burnt Cabin Christian Youth Camp opened the last week of May, 1959.
With Johnny on the Spot restrooms and water from a huge farm truck, Johnny Mahan was the director for the first week of camp from Haskell, George Keifer from Checotah had the second week, and Idus England from Central had the third one. (Fourth, fifth, and sixth are unknown.) Our first cooks were Gussie White, Maxine Scroggins, and Thelma Haynes.
Charles Kelley from Westside in Muskogee joined the board of directors after the first year. Others joined too: Frank Barthel, Bently Pennington, Eddie Jones, along with many others from area congregations.
In 1989, the elders of the South College church of Christ in Tahlequah took on the oversight of the camp, which was $80,000 in debt. Due to careful long-range planning and financial management by the current board of directors, the camp is now debt-free.
In 1958, several men in the area held a meeting at Greenleaf State Park to discuss possibilities for a church camp. The first camp was known as Camp Greenleaf and
After several meetings and looking for land to buy, Ralph & Laura Breece decided to donate five acres of land on Lake Tenkiller. No one really knows for sure how we got the name “Burnt Cabin”. Legend is that the first old settlers had a cabin that burnt down on the land, and they used it to give directions: “Go past the burnt cabin about a mile…” The cabin is long gone but the name has survived.
Volunteers from around the area and a few paid professionals began to clear land, dig water wells, put in plumbing, electrical, and build two dormitories, a kitchen, and dining room facilities. Burnt Cabin Christian Youth Camp opened the last week of May, 1959.
Charles Kelley from Westside in Muskogee joined the board of directors after the first year. Others joined too: Frank Barthel, Bently Pennington, Eddie Jones, along with many others from area congregations.
In 1989, the elders of the South College church of Christ in Tahlequah took on the oversight of the camp, which was $80,000 in debt. Due to careful long-range planning and financial management by the current board of directors, the camp is now debt-free.