Kanuga Conference Center facts for kids

Kanuga Conference Center is a special place connected to the Episcopal Church, USA. It is located on 1,400 acres (about 5.7 square kilometers) near Hendersonville, North Carolina. At its heart is the beautiful Kanuga Lake.

Each year, over 35,000 people visit Kanuga. They use its different facilities, including the main Conference Center. There are also summer camps like Camp Kanuga for boys and girls, Camp Bob, and the Mountain Trail Outdoor School.

The name "Kanuga" comes from the Cherokee language. It refers to an old Cherokee settlement in South Carolina. It also describes a Cherokee tool used in a traditional stickball game. The word also became linked to the idea of a "gathering place." This meaning led to its choice as the name for a new vacation spot in 1909.

History of Kanuga

Early Days: Kanuga Lake Club

Kanuga started in 1909 as the "Kanuga Lake Club." It was the idea of George Stephens, a banker and real estate developer from Charlotte, North Carolina. He wanted to create a vacation spot for families from the low-lying areas of South Carolina and North Carolina. Stephens hired John Nolen to plan the area and Richard Sharp Smith as the architect.

After buying 950 acres (about 3.8 square kilometers), a dam was built across Mud Creek. This created a much larger lake than the one at Kanuga today. They built 39 cottages, an inn with dining rooms, and a lakeside pavilion. These buildings were only used during the summer. Stephens used his successful businesses, like American Trust Company (now Bank of America) and his newspapers, to attract visitors.

In 1916, a big problem happened. After heavy rains, the dam holding back Lake Kanuga broke. Water rushed through Hendersonville and Asheville. Also, new things like cars made it easier for people to travel to many different vacation spots. Because of these reasons, Kanuga went out of business and closed. A new dam was later built, making the lake its current size. However, over the next 12 years, four attempts to restart the facility failed.

Kanuga Becomes an Episcopal Center

In 1928, Bishop Kirkman George Finlay of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina led an effort to buy the land. He wanted to open a camp and conference center for the Episcopal dioceses in North and South Carolina. Money was raised, and with support from nearby Episcopal dioceses, the property was bought. That summer, they held six weeks of youth and clergy conferences. After that, guests stayed for six weeks.

Church services were held outdoors or in the inn's lounge. In 1940, the Chapel of the Transfiguration was built and dedicated. It was built in memory of Bishop Finlay, who had passed away two years earlier. Scottish architect S. Grant Alexander designed the Chapel. He used yellow pine wood from the property. The wood was soft, so support beams were added to make sure the walls stayed strong.

By the 1960s, the original buildings were getting old and worn out. The old inn was taken down and replaced in 1968. A new, modern inn and dining area were built. This allowed Kanuga to stay open all year round. The original 39 cottages were kept. In the 1990s, they were updated to be used in winter, but they still look the same on the outside. Most of these original cottages and the outdoor Chapel of St. Francis are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They are part of the Kanuga Lake Historic District.

Summer Camps and Growth

Since its early days, Kanuga has also run separate overnight summer camps for boys and girls. In 1931, a summer camp for boys was built near the inn. A new boys' camp was built on another part of the property in 1962. This allowed the first camp area to be used for girls. In the 1970s, the boys' and girls' camps were combined at the second location. The first camp area was then rented out and later became the Bob Campbell Youth Campus. This campus helps underprivileged children in the summer. It also serves as an outdoor education center during the rest of the year.

Camp Kanuga now offers 9-day and 13-day sessions for boys and girls aged 7–15. There is also a "Trailblazers" program for ages 15–17. This program includes off-campus rafting and an 8-day hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail.

Kanuga has continued to grow over the years. Many new buildings for meetings and fun activities have been added. Conferences are held throughout the year, both by Kanuga and by other groups. Churches from many different Christian groups use the campus for weekend retreats. Important church leaders, like the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church, have held meetings at Kanuga. The seven weeks of Summer Guest Period in July and August are very popular, with many families visiting each year. Some families have been coming since Kanuga first started. Guest periods in the Fall, over Thanksgiving, and at Christmas are also very popular.