Covenant Beach Bible Camp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Covenant Beach Bible Camp
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Covenant Beach Bible Camp dining hall
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 Location in Washington (state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | Cliff Ave. and 220th St., Des Moines, Washington |
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| Area | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Marvel Johnson; Harold J. Neslund |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/craftsman |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000313 |
| Added to NRHP | January 11, 2006 |
Covenant Beach Bible Camp, now known as Des Moines Beach Park, is a special public place in Des Moines, Washington. It was started in 1931 and became a recognized historic site in 2006.
Contents
What is Des Moines Beach Park Like?
Des Moines Beach Park covers 18 acres (about 7.3 hectares). It sits in a valley where Des Moines Creek meets Puget Sound. The park has a saltwater beach, a rock wall, and tide flats.
Historic Buildings at the Park
Several buildings at the park are important for its history:
- Sports cabin (1931) is a small wooden building. It shows what the early cabins at the camp looked like.
- Roadside cabin (1931) is another wooden building. Families used it for summer vacations.
- The dining hall (1934) is a large, two-story wooden building. It was built right over Des Moines Creek.
- Sun Home Lodge (1934) is a two-story wooden building. It used to be a dormitory for girls staying at the camp.
- Carlson House (1935) is a one-story wooden house. It was built for the person who first surveyed the land.
- The woodshop (1945) is a wooden building with a concrete floor. A covered path connects it to the picnic shelter.
Other buildings include an auditorium and Founders Lodge. There is also a picnic shelter from 1920. This shelter has a brick fireplace and was the camp's first kitchen.
How the Park Started
Before it was a bible camp, this area was a campground. It was used by children from an orphanage. A couple, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Draper, bought the campground around 1917. They rented out this private park.
Later, two brothers built a dance hall on the beach. This dance hall was used until 1931. That year, the Swedish Covenant Church bought it. They planned to use it as their tabernacle, a special meeting place.
From Camp to Public Park
The bible camp officially began in 1931. It was started by the North Pacific Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church. At first, they leased the land. But they liked it so much that they decided to buy it. In 1932, Draper Park was renamed Covenant Beach.
Over the years, the church added many cabins and buildings. The dining hall was designed in 1934 by Marvel Johnson Blomdahl. She was only 20 years old and became one of the first women to graduate from the University of Washington's School of Architecture.
The church also leased plots of land to members. These members built their own cottages there. Most of these cottages were built between 1933 and 1936. Some plots had platforms where families could set up their tents. These cottages became summer homes for families.
In 1988, the seasonal bible camp became a public park for everyone to enjoy.
Restoring the Park
After the city took over the park, some old cabins were in bad shape. They were either torn down or moved. A rustic bridge was rebuilt in 1984 using old logs.
The dining hall and picnic shelter had to close in 2002. This was because of damage from the Nisqually earthquake and flooding.
Dining Hall and Auditorium Renovations
Work to restore the dining hall began in 2008. The building was in a flood plain. So, a new foundation was built 3 feet (about 0.9 meters) higher. This helped protect it from floods. Some work also helped reduce flooding risks and protect salmon in Des Moines Creek. By 2010, new additions made the building accessible for people with disabilities. The big renovation of the inside and outside finished in 2016.
The restoration of the Des Moines Beach Park auditorium also won an award. It received the John D. Spellman Preservation Award in 2013. This award recognized the excellent work done to preserve its history.
