History

Established in 1904

Camp Hayo-Went-Ha began its first summer on August 2, 1904. The original camp was an all-boys camp. In 1996, the YMCA purchased a private girls camp, and the two camps became collectively known as Hayo-Went-Ha Camps. Each location has its own unique history but is cemented together through mission and long-standing tradition.

Boys Camp

Torch Lake (1904-pres.) Camp Hayo-Went-Ha for boys began in 1904 and is one of the oldest camps on its original site in the country. Hayo-Went-Ha was established during the tail end of the Camping Movement (1881-1910), a period when camps with specific programming tailored to children were being established. At that time, camps were established for any number of reasons, including health, religion, education, and wilderness adventure.

At the time of its creation, the stated objective of Hayo-Went-Ha was “to provide two weeks of healthful recreation and out-door life under the careful leadership of a corps of earnest Christian men who can help cultivate a manly Christian character among the boys.” – State YMCA Newsletter 1904

The men who founded Hayo-Went-Ha were seeking “someplace where, under such supervision, the boys can be given all the freedom they need to have to have a rollicking good time, and yet under wise discipline and watchful care so that accidents and illness will be practically unknown…” – State YMCA Newsletter 1903

Girls Camp

Arbutus Lake (1914-pres.) Sisters Clara and Emilie Sargent knew of Arbutus Lake because their parents built one of the first houses along the southwest end. The two University of Michigan students thought it would be a good place for a summer camp. In 1914, they joined with friend and classmate Margaret Steere to start a camp on their parent’s property in the north woods. It was for college freshmen and sophomores, and juniors and seniors, such as themselves, were the counselors. Outdoor camps were taking off across the East and Midwest, and they were considered valued activities for young people to stay in touch with nature in an industrializing world. Camps for only girls were a recent idea.

In 1996, Camp Hayo-Went-Ha purchased Camp Arbutus. It would take years to blend the two cultures, but what emerged was a new entity, Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha. The program and activities are Hayo-Went-Ha throughout, but the camp still maintains deep affection for the Arbutus history, alumni, and traditions.