Long Lake Outdoor Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Long Lake Group Camp Historic District
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 10370 Gun Lake Rd., Yankee Springs Township |
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| Nearest city | Cloverdale, Michigan |
| Area | 115 acres (47 ha) |
| Architect | Ernest F. Hartwick, Theodore N. Zaetsch |
| Architectural style | NPS rustic |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001482 |
| Added to NRHP | December 13, 1996 |
The Long Lake Outdoor Center, also known as the Long Lake Group Camp Historic District, is a fun place for outdoor activities. It's located at 10370 Gun Lake Road in Yankee Springs Township, Michigan. This special camp was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 because of its important history.
Contents
History of the Long Lake Camp
How the Camp Started
The land where the Long Lake Outdoor Center is now was first settled in the 1830s. By the 1930s, the soil was wearing away, and many farms were struggling. To help, the United States government bought a large area of land. They started planting new trees to fix the soil.
Building Camps During the Great Depression
During the Great Depression (a time when many people didn't have jobs), the National Park Service had a program called Recreation Development Areas (RDAs). This program helped create jobs for people. It also built many organized camping places all over the country.
Four of these camps were built in Michigan. Two of them were in the Yankee Springs Recreation Area. These were the Chief Noonday Group Camp and the Long Lake Group Camp.
Construction and Design
Work on the Long Lake Group Camp began in 1936. It continued until about 1939. An architect named Ernest F. Hartwick from the National Park Service designed many of the buildings. Theodore N. Zaetsch, a landscape architect, planned how the land would be used.
The Long Lake Group Camp is important because it hosted Camp Michiwana for over 40 years. Camp Michiwana was a very important camp organization in Michigan.
The Camp Today
In 1943, the U.S. government gave the Yankee Springs area to the State of Michigan. The Long Lake Group Camp has been open and used ever since then.
In the early 1980s, the camp was updated. Some of the original cabin areas were taken down, and the remaining buildings were fixed up. Today, the camp is run by a private business. They lease the facility from the state of Michigan.
What the Camp Looks Like
The Long Lake Group Camp is located on 300 acres of land. It is part of the beautiful Yankee Springs Recreation Area.
Camp Layout
The camp has two main "villages." Each village has eight cabins. These cabins are set up in a circle around a central fire pit.
There is also a main area for the camp's operations. This central area includes:
- A large dining hall
- A kitchen complex
- Other buildings for camp services
