In the 1950s, a group of men and boys from Wallace Presbyterian Church camped under the old-growth hemlock trees on what is now the paintball area. The towering trees were a covering above and reminded them of God’s protective covering. They had a vision for a wilderness camping program devoted to winning and training young people for Christ. They purchased several parcels of land and named it Camp Hemlock after their protective trees with the intent of having a retreat from the busy world. These men had served and lived through the Second World War and saw the need for a place where individuals could come, quiet their hearts, rest in God’s creation, and develop a deeper relationship with Him. The property represented a place where their children, friends, church groups, and future generations could come together to experience God in the quiet and beauty of the wilderness. Camp Hemlock was officially established and opened in 1960.
