A Spiritual Place

Established in 1918, Camp Winnataska is located east of Birmingham, in St. Clair County, between Leeds and Pell City. The beauty of the site, accentuated by Kelly Creek and a spectacular waterfall, attracted the founders with its peace and spiritual nature. For over 100 years, Winnataska has offered a wide variety of quality programs in a Christian environment for young people, both girls and boys. Camp Winnataska is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit traditional overnight summer camp, run by a private board of directors and supported by Friends of Winnataska Inc., also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, with the goal of raising funds for the camp. The ecumenical facility is open to people of all faiths. The camp and its leadership has always included people of the Catholic and Protestant faiths, as well as Jews and people of other world religions, and of no religion.

Historic Marker

In 1997, the Alabama Historical Association awarded a marker to the camp. In 20 Placed at the entrance of camp, the plaque reads:

“Dr. Elwyn Ballard, commissioner of Boy Scouts in Birmingham, and his wife, Florence Aye Ballard, discovered this site in 1914, and became vital forces in the founding and growth of the camp. Boy Scouts and Boys Club members from the area first camped here in tents in 1916. Through Dr. Ballard, the Interdenominational Birmingham Sunday School Association acquired the camp in 1918 and offered sessions not only for boys but for girls as well—the first organization-sponsored camping for girls in Alabama and among the first in the South.

Daniel Ray Price, Executive Secretary of the Association, directed the camp 1922-1957. Rosa V. Strickland, educator and church leader, served as the girls camp director 1919- 1954. Winnataska early received national recognition for excellence of staff, facilities, and programs. Since its founding, Winnataska has continuously provided outdoor experiences and educational programs for thousands of Alabama Children and adults.”

Joint Venture with the Scouts

In 1986, Camp Winnataska and the Boy Scouts, Birmingham Area Council, formed a joint venture to operate the Camp Winnataska Outdoor Education Center. In 2006, Winnataska dissolved the joint venture with the Boy Scouts. In January 2007, Winnataska began a new era when the camp established its own board and nonprofit status. The camp has a strong network of multi-generational families who continue to passionately support this historic camp.

History of Evening Activities

Country Night

Country Night, usually held toward the end of the week, is a long-standing custom of Camp Winnataska dating from the 1940s and used to be held on Saturday night, mimicking the weekend celebrations of rural Southerners. It is a festive night full of fun and silliness.

In 1992, the Program Committee decided to combine some songs, activities, and games with Country Night. Therefore, the general outline of the evening involves everyone, Directors, Comanches, Blackfeet, Leaders and Campers, dressing up in a "country" fashion and dancing and having a good time. The stage may be decorated and Comanches and Blackfeet create an atmosphere of "Hee Haw goes to Camp Winnataska." The comic Pieman Sketch was added in 2010, created by Program Specialists Seth Olson, Jared Robertson, and Blake Huynh, along with the Blackfeet that year.

Country Night was held in Stockham Gym before it was destroyed by storms, wind, and rain damage in May of 2014. The activity now happens in the Recreation Pavilion.

Indian Night

Indian Night started at Winnataska in 1916 during the Boys Club camp. Burr Blackburn, a Boys Club executive who was knowledgable in Indian lore, had participated in an Omaha Indian ceremonial in Iowa and modeled Winnataska’s first Indian Night after it. To this day, this night’s activities honor the Native Americans for which the camp was named.

Since 1927, the telling of the “Legend of Winnataska” has concluded Indian Night. The Legend was written that year by Tommy Waldrop, and she based it on the meter of “The Song of Hiawatha,” an 1855 epic poem in trochaic tetrameter by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In 2003, a Blackfoot began reciting the story while Comanches and Blackfeet acted out the legend.

Indian Night actually starts first thing in the morning. The wake-up bell is not rung on that morning; instead, staff members ride horses through camp to wake up everyone.

Indian Night is now held in a great clearing around the old “ball field” on the path to Wayside. It used to be staged, at various times, in the Pony Grove (now parking lot), in the circle above Chico Village, at the amphitheatre by the creek on Mainside, and in the clearing of the OA Circle up above the Dining Hall. Around a central fire, four small fires are laid in the directions of North, South, East and West. A throne is built to accommodate the Great Chief and the Indian attendants.

Holy Grail

The Holy Grail pageant was first held in 1922, written at camp by counselor Lois Smyer that summer. For decades, it was presented on the last night of girls camps. In the 1980s, with the advent of coed camps, Camp leadership feared the evening activity would disappear if only held on the one or two girls camps of the summer. On coed camps, the cast now consists of both females and males, and is presented at the end of each camp. It evokes one of the lasting memories of Winnataska. The cast, chosen from leaders and staff and occasionally a special adult, exemplify “bravery and truth, unselfishness and kindness.” The highest honor is to be chosen Sir Galahad, and that person is never in the pageant again. The pageant challenges campers to go away from Winnataska in search of their Holy Grail, and to "so live that we may be worthy of attaining the realization of our dream.”

At the close of the Grail pageant, campers follow the Vision as they move, singing “Follow the Gleam,” with lighted candles in hand, to Hillside. There they watch spellbound as Sir Galahad, carrying a torch, runs across the “burning” bridge and is lifted into heaven.

Campers then return to the steps of their huts and form the shape of a cross. They sing “Taps” and extinguish their candles. Now, only the large cross hung in front of Branscomb Chapel remains burning. Camp’s tradition is that no one talks or turns on hut lights after the Holy Grail service.

“Follow the Gleam” Hymn

According to Kihm Winship, in 1920, Sallie Hume Douglas, a 53 year old teacher from Honolulu, and Helen Hill, a student from Bryn Mawr college (class of ’21) met at the Silver Bay Association on Lake George, in New York, at a YWCA conference. One of the activities of that summer was a song competition. Sallie Douglas was something of a hobbyist in song writing, and had already published some songs. When she heard of the song contest, she looked for a lyricist with whom she could collaborate. She met Helen Hill, a student from Bryn Mawr College(Class of ’21). Both women were interested in Arthurian legends, and were familiar with Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s 1899 poem, “Merlin and the Gleam”, about the quest for the Holy Grail. The poem ends:

“O young Mariner,

Down to the haven,

Call your companions,

Launch your vessel,

And crowd your canvas,

And, ere it vanishes

Over the margin,

After it, follow it,

Follow The Gleam.”

On the shores of Lake George, together they wrote a hymn, “Follow the Gleam.” Their song was the contest winner, and became the anthem that closed every YWCA gathering, sung at the end of vespers, and also sung at girls’ camps all over the country, including Winnataska, one of few camps that continue singing the hymn. The publishing company now lists the composers as “Sallie Hume Douglas” and “Bryn Mawr College, Silver Bay Prize song.”