CAMP KOKOSING: THE EARLY YEARS

For most of you, Camp Kokosing has always been a co-educational, multicultural summer experience with many buildings and all (or almost all) the comforts of home. I thought it would be of interest to share with you a little about the early years of Kokosing.

In 1927, William Rothenberg Sr. and Melanie T. Rothenberg – affectionately known to everyone as Bill and Mrs. R – purchased a 300+ acre plot, which was to become Camp Kokosing for Boys. The lake, in which all of us swam, paddled our canoes, rowed our boats and tried to stay up on water skiis, is actually known as Miller Pond. According to the State of Vermont, a lake must be 100 acres or more – and our “lake” is only 99 acres.

The White House, housing younger campers during Kokosing years, was originally the summer home for Bill and Mrs. R, as well as for me until I became a camper. In 1950, when Kokosing became co-ed, Bill and Mrs. R converted the Wood Shed (that building near the tennis courts) to their summer home. The Wood Shed formerly held all the wood that the camp used for heating the stove in the kitchen and the fireplaces in the Clubroom, Rec Hall, and Senior Clubhouse. The wood was cut by local people from surrounding trees in the community – some on Kokosing property.

There were no electric wires in the early years – since the cost to bring electricity to this remote piece of land was quite prohibitive and the neighbors were not willing or couldn’t afford to pitch in to assist. Therefore, electricity had to be generated. There was an Ice House just to the left of the flagpole area as you enter Camp. This large building held a Delco generator, which generated electricity to all the cabins, Mess Hall, clubroom, etc. It also housed large blocks of ice, which provided the refrigeration for the foods that fed the campers. These blocks of ice were cut from the lake each winter by local people and stored in vast amounts of sawdust in the Ice House. Interestingly, the ice lasted the entire summer; sometimes, I admit, it was a close call. A second smaller generator was located just above what is now the Girl’s bunk line in a small house. This provided electricity to the Rec Hall and other buildings in that area. The 2 buildings housing the generators were torn down in the early 1950s when electric wires finally reached the Kokosing acreage.

This gives you an early picture of the physical layout of Kokosing. I am presently working on a history of Kokosing – from my perspective – up until the time Carol and I left after the summer of 1966. If you are interested, e-mail me and I’ll see that you are placed on the list to receive it when it is completed.

Sorry we cannot be with you at this momentous reunion of campers from many different summers at camp. Our thoughts are with you and know that Kokosing remains in our hearts forever. I’m sure you will remember that “Now is Life’s Most Precious Time”. Make the most of every moment, for you may easily recall it but will never experience that moment the same way.

Warm regards,

Dick Rothenberg