Glen Cannon Was Home to Several Camps

Camp Brevard activities with
1—Mrs. H.E. Lassiter, 2—Mrs. Luella Gibson Joiner.

In 1921 Mrs. Luella Gibson Joiner of Alabama started Camp Brevard for girls.  The camp was located just a couple a miles outside of town on property owned by C.M. Siniard near Glen Cannon Falls.  The camp is included in a Red Book Magazine publication about 1926 summer camps.  However, Mrs. Joiner died on November 25, 1925.

W.W. Waters took over management of the camp in 1926 and renamed it Camp Cohosset.  The name was said to be an indian term for “by the pines”.  It operated for just the one season.

Camp Perry-Ann mini-golf.

Mrs. Luther Pushell opened Camp Perry-Ann, “the only camp in the South exclusively for Jewish Girls”, on the property in 1927.  Camp Perry-Ann brochures describe the property as 200 acres on a gently sloping pine-covered hill overlooking the French Broad River and bordering Williamson Creek and Glen Cannon Falls.  It included the lake, tennis courts, a lodge and cabins.  Camp Perry-Ann operated through 1931.

In 1936 it was announced that a Girl Scout Camp would operate on the former Camp Perry-Ann site.  The property was then own by Mr. & Mrs. T.J. Wilson.  Camp Cateechee was affiliated with the Girl Scouts of Asheville, Charlotte and Greenville, SC but served Girl Scouts from throughout the Southeast.  Camp Cateechee operated for about 10 years.

Cabins at Camp Ivy Hill, 1922.

Another little known girls’ camp on the outskirts of Brevard was Camp Ivy Hill.  Located on a low wooded hill it included the Ivy Hill Nursing Home (today The Oaks) property.  The camp was operated by Mrs. Harriet Davis and her daughters, Miss Mary McPhail Davis and Mrs. Elizabeth Mauldin.  It included swimming, tennis, basketball, baseball, volleyball, track and hiking excursions. Music, basketry, weaving, clay modeling and illustrating were also offered.  Camp Ivy Hill operated from 1921-1923.

Next week Picturing the Past will take a look at some of the summer camps in the Cedar Mountain area.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.