Camp Bethel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Camp Bethel
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Entrance to Camp Bethel
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 124 Camp Bethel Rd., Haddam, Connecticut |
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| Area | 46.7 acres (18.9 ha) |
| Built | 1877 |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Seasonal cottage |
| NRHP reference No. | 07001246 |
| Added to NRHP | December 11, 2007 |
Camp Bethel is a special historic place in Haddam, Connecticut. It's a Christian camp where people used to gather for religious meetings. This camp is located right by the beautiful Connecticut River.
Camp Bethel started way back in 1877. It's one of the very few old camp meeting sites still left in New England today. A group called the Camp Bethel Association (CBA) owns it. This group is Christian and welcomes everyone. You can even rent the camp for different events! Because it's so old and important, Camp Bethel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. This means it's a protected historical site.
What is Camp Bethel Like?
Camp Bethel is in southeastern Haddam, just north of the East Haddam Bridge. You can get there by taking Camp Bethel Road from Connecticut Route 82. The camp sits on a high area overlooking the Connecticut River, surrounded by peaceful woods.
The main parts of the camp include a chapel, a memorial hall, places for people to stay (boarding houses), and a dining hall. There are also more than 40 small cabins. Most of these buildings were built a long time ago, between 1889 and about 1920. The dining hall is newer, built in 1992 after the old one was destroyed in a fire.
A Look Back at Camp Bethel's History
Camp Bethel was started in 1877 by a group called the Life and Advent Union. This group was part of Seventh Day Adventism. They found this spot to be a permanent home for their meetings. It was the third camp of its kind in Connecticut and the first for an Adventist group.
In the early days, people held their meetings in temporary structures, mostly tents. This included big tents used for eating and worship. In 1964, the camp was officially named "Camp Bethel." Its ownership changed to a non-denominational, non-profit organization. Today, Camp Bethel is still used as a center for missionary work. Its buildings are sometimes rented out to other groups too.
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