-A Master Program-
Early in 1954, a committee gathered data concerning the project and after months of study, submitted a report to the sponsoring organization, the Hawthorne Coordination Council, regarding the findings made while outlining a master building program.
On July 22, 1954, the report was made public and was approved by the Council. With approval, the report was adopted as the “blueprint” for the establishment of the Hawthorne Youth Camp in the Big Pines area of the Angeles National Forest.
The initial reaction of most skeptics was that such a project would be “too monumental” for the citizens of Hawthorne to undertake. They said, “the idea is good – however, you can’t get enough people interested, and, if you do, you won’t be able to obtain enough funds to construct the camp.” Obviously, these skeptics were wrong. Anyone who has visited the camp can bear that out!
Among the first things the committee covered in its report were the size, the lease and the general development of the campsite. This information aided the committee in creating a master plan. The report indicated that the campsite was approximately six acres and that the construction of fences would not be required at the site. The report further stated that very few camps in the area had a site larger than the one to be used for the development of the Hawthorne facility.
It was noted that the site was located on land under the jurisdiction of the US Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. The city had a special use permit, issued in 1949, and because development of the land had already begun, the permit would continue in force as long as the rules and regulations of the Forest Service were followed. There was no charge by the Forest Service for the use of the land!
The Hawthorne Youth Camp was virtually “hacked out” of the virgin forest of the Big Pines area of the Angeles National Forest. Though there were a number of youth camps nearby, the Hawthorne camp, once completed, was considered to be the best in Southern California. Water supplies were available within 1000 feet of the site and pipes were laid to deliver it directly to the camp.
According to the master plan, the maximum capacity of the camp would be 120 persons. Development of the camp was to be carried out by building the minimum facilities necessary to accommodate a camping program, with more units to be added as funds became available.
On adopting the committee’s report in July, 1954, the Coordination Council created a permanent Campsite Development Committee, including members Reese Walton, David Rice, Basil Calkins, Lester Wandell, Bob Hartzell, Gilbert E. Lavin, Victor Zaccaglin, Todd Fast, Oliver McCammon and Meno L. Wilhelms, chairman. Later, Bud Arnold, Parks and Recreation Director, and George Silveira, Building Superintendent of the City of Hawthorne, were appointed to the committee.
The initial tasks of the Development Committee were to set up a fund-raising campaign, prepare plans and specifications for the camp and secure the necessary permits from the Forest Service and the County of Los Angeles Health- and Building Departments. At the time, establishing this kind of a project was unique. Cities the size of Hawthorne commonly recognized the need for their own recreational facilities and worked to create them, but few had the open space necessary to provide a camp. Metropolitan areas had sprung up and land values had increased, making it more difficult and expensive for cities to obtain park lands and putting the acquisition of a camping facility out of their reach.
With the establishment of a youth camp, Hawthorne was able to offer the young people of the city an opportunity for a camping experience and a taste of outdoor life that could not be found in an urban environment.
One city-dweller, upon visiting the camp, summed up the opinion of most of those who were working on the project. He said, “The future value of this type camping experience for our youth as they become citizens of our communities is inestimable in money value. Any of those persons who have slight apprehensions about the value of this camping experience should spend at least one weekend working at the youth camp – I’m sure they would then be among the strongest supporters.”