Owasippe Scout Reservation, Scout reservation in Twin Lake, Michigan
Owasippe Scout Reservation is a large outdoor camp in Michigan, bordering Manistee National Forest and built around several lakes and miles of trails. It is divided into three main camps, Camp Blackhawk, Camp Wolverine, and Camp Reneker, each with its own facilities and programs for different age groups.
The site started in 1911 as Camp White, on a small plot of land by Crystal Lake, and grew steadily over the following decades. It is now recognized as the oldest Scout camp in the country that has been running without interruption.
Near Silver Creek, old canoes, arrowheads, and pottery have been found in the ground, pointing to Native American communities that lived here long before the camp existed. These objects are still part of how the land is understood today.
The reservation is open year-round, though summer is when most programs and activities run. Sturdy footwear is a good idea since the terrain is mostly unpaved and outdoor.
The grounds contain ancient burial mounds from Native American communities, some of them sitting directly beneath or beside camp buildings built over the past century. Walking the land means moving through layers of history that most visitors do not expect to find at a Scout camp.
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