Mr. William Hughes, a long time merchant in Prince George, donated the property to Scouting in 1946. The property consisted of eighty acres with about a mile of shoreline on West Lake. An additional one hundred and sixty acres adjoining this property have been leased continuously since 1946. The camp is located approximately 30 kilometers southwest of downtown Prince George on Blackwater Road.
The first district summer Scout camp was in 1947. Scouters Bob Sewell and Harold D. Mann were in charge of some 45 boys from Prince George and Giscome. Prince George’s first District Commissioner, Gordon Nicol, inspected this summer camp. Camp Hughes has been used continuously ever since.
From 1947 to 1960 there were few improvements made to the camp. 1960 saw the first major improvement when a large lodge was built by Gus Lund and helpers. The lodge was located at lake level, about the centre of the camp. The first water well was built at this time, across the road from the lodge. Unfortunately, the lodge burned to the ground in 1968, but the water well still remains today.
A flurry of development took place in 1969 with many new buildings being added to the camp. Seven Cub cabins were built on the lower level, providing summer accommodation for about 70 campers. Two small cabins were built on the upper level, housing administration and first-aid facilities. In the late summer the Prince George Rotary Club hired Crossroads Construction to build a large screened summer pavilion which included a kitchen, dining facility for 100 persons, storage area, and fireplace. The first sewage lagoon was also constructed on the lower level, downhill from the present day washroom building. The eighth Cub cabin was added at a later date.
During the 1960’s the various activity areas were made more accessible. The College of New Caledonia, which required instructional areas for their students in earth-moving techniques, created many of the open areas that we currently use. The beachfront, large and small playing fields, campfire circle, loop road, and the open areas near the Cub cabins all exist thanks to CNC.
Little more was added until 1978 when the McDermids and Lofting Logging Company donated a bunkhouse trailer and washhouse trailer. The bunkhouse, known today as Norway House, has four rooms that provide sleeping accommodations for sixteen people, usually adult staff. The washroom trailer provided the first showers and toilets at the camp - a great improvement over outhouses and a dip in the lake! The washroom trailer was relocated in 1991 to make room for a new building. The trailer is still in use as a storage building, located behind Northwood House.
Water systems were also brought to the camp during the 1970’s. The first system was created in 1972 and consisted of using a gas pump to pump water from the creek into a tower tank and relying on gravity to feed it to the cookhouse area. This system was replaced in 1974 with a pipeline and submersible pump that brought lake water to the cookhouse. The pipeline trench was dug by hand and stretched 700 feet from the cookhouse to the beachfront and on into the lake. Although the lake system was replaced in 1981 by the present drilled well system, the remains of the other systems can still easily be seen.
Major changes to the camp development and operations occurred in the 1980’s. In 1981 the Prince George Rotary club funded and built the two bedroom, full basement Nicholson House as a year round residence for a camp caretaker. The house came complete with a drilled water well and septic tank and field. The house was named after long-time active member Jack Nicholson. Mr. Nicholson spent many years as the Manager of Overwaitea’ s first store in Prince George. He served as Mayor of Prince George from 1945 - 49, and Rotary Club President from 1954-55.
Provincial Jamborees transformed Camp Hughes during the 1990’s. The camp was selected to host PJ91, which resulted in the construction of Northwood House, the Moose Factory, and numerous picnic shelters. Although Northwood House was originally built as a heated storage building, it has been renovated for use as a multi-purpose facility. The Moose Factory replaced the washroom trailer, adding laundry facilities to the washrooms and showers. In addition to the buildings, PJ91 gave us Fort Simpson, the Amphitheatre, two road bridges, a second drilled well water system on the loop road, the upper parking lot, an expanded beachfront, and a new sewage lagoon system uphill from the Rotary Pavilion area. In 1995 Camp Hughes again hosted the Provincial Jamboree as well as SOAR, a Provincial Girl Guide camp. The benefits from PJ95 included a climbing wall and the upgrading of the existing facilities. A network of hiking trails crisscross the property.
Camp Hughes has been host to many events other than jamborees. Regional Cub camps have been held since 1970, with attendees from across Northern BC and the Yukon. Venturers & Rovers have been “Rendezvous” ing at the camp on Thanksgiving weekend since 1985. Other youth events held at Camp Hughes include Beaverees, Cuborees, Camporees, Jamboree on the Trail, and Scoutrees. Cub Sixer and Second Training, and Scout P.L./A.P.L. & Focus training have used the facilities. Since the first Woodbadge II in 1960, adult Scouters have come to the camp to learn section skills, outdoor skills, campfire magic and attend Trainer Development courses. Regional Councils have held their meetings at the camp. Although current policies restrict usage; Camp Hughes has been the site for many family reunions, weddings, school outings and camps, and sports team practices. It is truly a multi-purpose facility with enormous potential.
Aug 20, 2018
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Jun 12, 2018
Tales from the 1960s...