HISTORY CORNER

Summer Camps

After many years of taking long weekend trips the club planned its first 10 day trip in 1930 to Lake Rondaxe in Old Forge.  These long trips of one to two weeks became known as “Summer Camps”.  The house on Lake Rondaxe had been a loggers’ camp at one time and lacked all conveniences. The beds were the worst they ever slept on.  In spite of that the group had fun hiking, swimming and paddling.  They fished and played games and got to know one another better.  In the evening, they would gather around a campfire.  One night at Lake Rondaxe the wood for the fire looked odd.  When Fred Rogers was asked where it came from, he admitted he had stolen it from the top of the beaver house because it was so nice and dry.  At first members did all the camp work on a system of rotating KP groups.  When finally, there were so many campers attending they hired a cook and appointed a member as hostess to manage the camp.  Over the years Summer Camps were held at Fourth Lake, Canada Lake, Lake Piseco and White Lake among others.  

By Sharon Kaelin

_____________________________________________________________________

Beginnings                                                             

“A meeting will be held at the Utica Public Library
Friday evening at eight o’clock for
the purpose of organizing a
Tramp and Trail Club, having
as its object the formation
of hiking parties for exercise
and nature study. The development
of new trails in the Adirondacks also is to be suggested as a
club feature.”
Utica Daily Press, April 1921

From this meeting an outdoor club was born that would continue until the current day.
This webpage will document some of the Tramp and Trail Club’s interesting history.
_____________________________________________________________________

Each quarter, a small article can be found in our Hike Schedule.
Additional articles are posted here:

Summer Camps
Drowned Villages Part 2
Drowned Villages in CNY
Sap House Breakfast and Hikes
Old Time Tramp Celebrations
Utica’s Union Station
A Tale of Two Annual Summer Events
The Civilian Conservation Corps
Tramp and Trail Club at Oriskany
Lost In The Woods
Remembering Frank Guilfoil
Local Rails to Trails
75th Anniversary Trip
Tramps Go to The Olympics
Tramp and Trail Club April 30, 1921 Hike Write Up
Skiing? Not Always
Trail Maintenance Over the Years
Tramp and Trailering with the Higgersons in the 50s and 60s
The Formation of the Tramp and Trail Club
First Weekend Trip Feb 10 to 12, 1923
The Birth of the Corn Roast
The Beginnings of the Interesting Evenings
Annual Report of the Secretary of the Tramp and Trail Club of Utica January 1922
Winter History Corner
Paper Plate Poem
The First Hike
Early Hikes
Women’s Hiking Attire in the 1920’s
Club Donations
Camping in the Early Years
History Book 2003-2015 is Published
First Ski and Snowshoe & Winter Carnivals
Early Members
What Happened to Jack Dorn?
Erie Canal – Then and Now
Bicycling in Ireland – 1986
The Scrap Books and Picture Books
Skis or Snowshoes-Which are Preferred?