Thrifty Vintage Thingies - A Little Bit of Burr Camp

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I've mentioned camps before as being a big part of my life. I've either been a camper myself, a counselor, head counselor, or speaker at well over 100 camps.

While I was growing up in Wisconsin, our camp was called Burr Wesleyan Camp. It was nestled in the rolling hills of Vernon County. It consisted of wood frame cabins, dormitories, and other buildings perched on and into the sides of Burr Ridge. We no longer own it, and it no longer functions as a camp but it still holds a very special place in the hearts of many people who passed through it. I've already blogged some of MY Burr Camp stories here, here, here,and here. Today my Thrifty Vintage Thingie post is in honor and memory of my beloved Burr Camp.


This was the original tabernacle at Burr Camp. It was a wood frame structure and large sections of the sides and back of it could hinge open like huge wooden awnings supported by a single pole whose end burrowed into the ground to hold the awning in place. Many people sat under these awnings because it was cooler there. We were not allowed to do so - - - we had to be down "front and center" with our parents.

Many a wedding was held in this tabernacle - - - in fact, I am the oldest offspring from one such wedding.

When my Great Uncle Charlie was a young pastor he was wont to jump up and shout, "WELL GLORY!" while pumping his fist in the air, at particularly meaningful moments of the sermon. I am told, for I never knew her, that this embarrassed his sedate little wife, Coral, to no end and she attempted to extract a promise from him that he would cease and desist this flagrant conduct. She was not successful in her promise extracting career and he continued to jump at will.

One evening during a service, and at a particularly and pungently truthful moment, Uncle Charlie jumped and shouted. This time as he jumped, waving his fist over his head, his feet landed on a knot in the piny floor. The knot was years old, bone dry, and gave way. Uncle Charlie shot through the hole, up to his arm pits, before his feet hit the ground below.

I was not yet born at the time, but I can tell you he was not deterred in his "Well Glory" shouts even by this bone jarring experience for I have vivid memories of him doing it up until the last time I saw him before he died.

Fortunately, when Burr Camp was sold, I was given (thus THRIFTY) a few VINTAGE camp THINGIES. I've already shown some of my Burr treasures, but I discovered I still had a couple which needed showing.

Gravy Boat

When I was a small girl, the dining hall at camp was housed on the lower floor of Harmony Hall. Meals were served family style at long tables. I'm sure there were many gravy boats as well as other serving dishes used in those days.

Later, in the early '60's, a cement block structure was built to serve as the "new" dining hall. Meals there were served cafeteria style and not as many serving dishes were put to use.

I don't have any camp memories of THIS particular gravy boat - - - but I am thrilled to have it as a reminder of the "glory days" of long ago.

Hurricane Lamp

I am old. Old as dirt. But even I do not have any memories of pre-electricity days at camp. There were many of them to be sure, and this little lamp is one of several that were made out of canning jars during that era.

It now resides in a place of honor on an antique dresser in my family room where it reminds me daily of my roots.

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