Camp Hickory Hill, 1929-1964
In 1929, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fredrick Loesch purchased a track of land that was originally a land grant signed by President Martin VanBuren. It is in Edgerton, WI, located on Rice Lake. In October of 1931, the land was deeded by the Loesch’s to the Des Plaines Girl Scout Council and the Girl Scouts of America (GSUSA), Region 7, and became Girl Scout Camp Hickory Hill. Mrs. Loesch was the first commissioner of the Des Plaines Girl Scout Council, and Mr. Charles Fredrick Loesch was the maintenance director of Hickory Hill for many years. Miss Marian Hodgins was the first camp director of Hickory Hill. The first building on the property was the dining room/kitchen, named Loesch Lodge. “Grigsby,” a recreation building donated by Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Grigsby, was the second one built; the last two were the staff house and office building. These buildings were built with dollars contributed by former campers. Outpost, the pioneer unit, was formed in 1935. The camp had five units: Merriwood, Hilltop, Outpost, Trails End, and Sea Scouts. All campers lived in platform tents except Outpost.
The camp was transferred to Girl Scouts of Northwest Cook Girl Scout Council when the Des Plaines Girl Scout Council merged with Illinois Prairie to form Northwest Cook Girl Scout Council. Deeds were finally recorded in Dane County, Wisconsin, on January 26, 1956.
Barbara Coyle attended Camp Hickory Hill in the late 1940s. Her favorite memory is the songs the Merriwood Unit sang every day, and she still sings them today.
Wild Rose Program Center, 1952-2012
Camp Lindenwood, located in Thatcher Woods, was returned to the Forest Preserves in 1945. The Forest Preserve tore it down in 1949. The Finance Committee of Lone Tree Area Girl Scout Council recommended to the Board of Directors that a savings account be set up to purchase a permanent campsite for day camping, overnight camping, and Brownie camping. In March of 1952, Lone Tree Area Girl Scout Council purchased 80 acres of land that was part of the Crane Estate, which was formerly called Wild Rose Farm. The council originally named the property Camp Wild Rose. The first house built on the site was in 1953 and named Ridgetop House, but many referred to it as “the Brownie House.” In 1975, Lone Tree Area sold their camp in Three Lakes, WI, and Wild Rose became their resident camp.
Strawberry Lodge and the caretaker’s residence were built in 1958. Strawberry Lodge was later converted into an administrative building. Also, two platform camp areas named Aspen Grove and Tall Oaks were built, and two advanced campers’ sites were developed, Happy Hollow and Hawthorne Trail. In 1967, a storage house and workshop were built. In 1969, an octagonal lodge was built, and Westchester Troop 493 had the honor of being the first troop to use the lodge.
In 1979, Lone Tree Area Girl Scout Council saw a need for many renovations to Camp Wild Rose and a task force led by Marge Gray converted the camp into Wild Rose Program Center where activities for girls and leader training could be held year-round. Major changes were the building of Blueberry Patch Lodge in the shape of a cross so it could house three troops at a time.
Sandy Cervenka remembers taking her Junior troop to Wild Rose and going to the marsh to do water sampling for their badge work. Among the girls on the steps is Sandy’s sister, Bobbie Krivanek.
Sandy also remembers being one of four counselors in the Tall Oaks unit during a 4-day resident camp experience. “Two of us wore glasses and two hearing aids. We were sleeping soundly with all the tent flaps up when the site manager came up in her car to wake us. There was a storm coming with possible tornadoes. None of us heard the walkie-talkies go off. Being blind or deaf, we had to get the girls from their tents and take them to the unit’s shelter. We had to drag some girls asleep in their sleeping bags through the rain and mud to the shelter,” said Sandy.
Debbie Kidd shares memories of taking her Troop 1750 camping for the first time in 1995, and it was at Wild Rose. “It has become a cherished memory for the girls and me. We hiked, made tie-dyed t-shirts outside, made homemade ice cream in a “coffee can,” played sticks, cooked our meals, made napkin rings from nature, sang gracefully around the campfire, made s’mores, and sang songs. One of the girls on that campout, Jenica Janos, told Debbie that Girl Scouts didn’t just teach me to build a fire; it taught me to untangle challenges, navigate the wilderness of life with confidence, and always leave the campsite better than I found it,” said Debbie.
Camp Norwesco, 1958-1983
In 1955, the Northwest Cook Council saw the need for another established camp since Camp Pine and Camp Hickory Hill always had waiting lists. A committee was formed to investigate properties in Wisconsin. The committee decided on a 700-acre site on Herde Lake adjacent to DuPage County Council’s Camp Chippewa Bay on Long Lake. The Board approved the purchase of the property on October 23, 1957. During July 21 – 31, 1958, 12 girls were chosen to primitive camp on the property. They were accompanied by two leaders and a camp nurse. Road construction began in June of 1959. The remainder of the camp was completed in 1960.
Copied from the log of July 21-31, 1958, primitive camp: Friday, July 25 – Tuft’s (leader) turn to town. Girls dug another latrine – still not satisfied! The third one, finally deep enough, was considered satisfactory, so girls lashed a seat. I took down the damaged tent, replaced it, and decided to add one more tent so that all tents would house just two girls. The girls continued during the day on various chores – peeling bark for the flagpole, splicing the rope, and rigging the pulley. Some of the girls lashed a table near the baker’s tent for use in getting meals and doing dishes—more clearing and shopping. The new beach spot started near Cotton’s (leader) tent, and steps cut down the hill. A better path cleared to the boat – stones removed, bean holes for Sunday dinner were dug. Two girls lashed a table near their tent to hold a washstand and personal gear. At the campfire, the girls sang us their completed camp song:
Michele Herman spent the first of seven summers at Camp Norwesco in 1970. The first year, she went for one session that was two weeks long. After that, Michele insisted she attend two sessions. Her first five years of experience included swimming, boating, hiking, crafts, flag ceremonies, and morning watch. The following year, Michele was in the mounted unit (horseback riding), which is what Michele calls the crème de la crème. “Boundary Waters spending ten days in the Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, canoeing for hours, portaging between lakes, carrying packs heavier than she was, digging holes to make a toilet, securing food so bears would not get it, and keeping pie pans handy to scare off bears. We sang quiet songs around the campfire and knew no one was within miles of us. It was filled with majestic views of nature. I often told my daughters I would still go if they let me! Camp Norwesco is my happiest place on Earth,” said Michele.
Elise Gould said, “Camp Norwesco was my happy place for me! For many summers during my childhood and teenage days, I would go up there and find peace, friendship, and fun with other girls my age. It was magical! With the sale of Camp Hickory Hills, units were added, and some unit names changed. The new unit for older girls was called Marion. It is here that I became a Counselor-in-Training (CIT) and then a full-time counselor. Memories are abounding when it comes to Norwesco. The counselors, the girls and future friends, and the fun activities kept me coming back summer after summer. I am still friends with many of the girls and counselors. There were several reunions where we gathered to reminisce and sing songs as if we were kids again.”
