How Texoma Christian Camp Came to Be

TEXOMA CAMP HISTORY

Before 1949 it was necessary to rent facilities for the camping programs.  On March 31, 1949, a certificate of incorporation was issued to Lake Texoma Youth Conference Grounds of the Disciples of Christ.  Norman D. Dyer, minister at Durant, Oklahoma, was president of the corporation, and Kenneth E. Garrison, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was the secretary.   Trustees elected were Fred Lowry of Durant, Stanley H. Nicewander of McAlester, and Guy Givens of Ardmore.  By-laws and a constitution were drawn up and adopted May 18, 1949.  14 acres, comprising the grounds were given to the First Christian Church, Durant, who in turn leased the grounds to the Texoma Youth Conference Grounds of the Disciples of Christ, incorporated, to be developed and used for the training of the youth of Christian churches in Southwestern Oklahoma.

It was a very primitive camp.   No utilities available.  The people were working hard to clear the brush, install a water system, get electricity into the camp, etc.  Plans were developed on building a dining hall, kitchen and bath house.  They were going to buy an old school house and teachery and move them to the grounds.  Everybody was working hard and raising funds to do things to the grounds and working feverishly to get the camp ready for campers by 1951.  

On April  1951,  a resolution was presented and adopted whereby the state would think seriously about building its own conference grounds in strategic centers, and Texoma Youth Conference Grounds was pioneering this new activity.  On April 8, 1952, James Oral Michael, minister of the First Christian Church of Ada,  sent a letter saying: "Here is exciting news! Camp Jack Little , a well developed, well located camp about 14 miles south of Madill, Oklahoma, with a capacity of over 200 people, has been offered to Texoma Youth Conference Grounds Inc., or to the churches of Southwestern Oklahoma, at a price of just about what we planned to raise for the erection of a mess hall, Kitchen, and bath house at our present location.  This camp has everything.  Several small dormitories with bathrooms, furnished, ventilating fans, and screened porches.  Several cabins centers about a bath house, and a large lodge with large kitchen, well furnished, ventilating fans, double fireplace, with a screened in porch.  All these buildings face a beautiful view on the lake front.  There is also a swimming pool, caretaker's house, tennis court, baseball grounds, boat dock with 10 aluminum boats, six horses, play ground, and 100 acres of land.  It was estimated that this camp would cost over $150,000 to develop, but Mr. Rural Little wished to sell it to a religious group for youth work at a nominal price."  A date was set for families to come for a picnic and inspect the grounds.  Enthusiasm was high!

There was a Parker Foundation, which had a lease and were managing the camp at this time, who wanted to buy the grounds also.  Mr. Little wanted a $20,000 down payment and the balance of $19,000 paid off in ten installments.  To raise this money, each church was asked to pledge $10 for each member.  $5 to be paid immediately for the cash down payment.  Three churches, Ada, Ardmore, and Durant committed to at least $6,000 each.  At a Texoma Youth Conference Grounds board meeting on May 8, 1952, at the First Christian Church in Ada, it was voted and approved to purchase Camp Jack Little from Mr. Rural Little.   On July 1, 1952, Texoma Youth Conference Grounds took over the operation and ownership of Camp Jack Little.

From that point on, it was raising funds to meet the annual payments to Mr. Little and operating the camp.   Families were encouraged to come and rent a cabin for a fishing weekend.   Orval Holt, minister at the Durant church, was the president of the camp board.   Mr. George Stanford was hired as camp manager.  A committee was appointed to sell the old camp site. At the annual general board meeting on November 17, 1952, the name of the camp grounds were changed to Texoma Christian Camp

By 1954, business was as usual and there was never enough funds.  It was decided to have churches take responsibility of certain cabins for maintenance and repair, do the work themselves, instead of sending money, which was not happening.  That is why there still was an Ada cabin.  For the winter months, the caretaker's salary was cut in half to $105 per month and he was only to do janitorial duties and continue to live the house, bills paid.   April 1 when camping season should start again he would be put on full time.   In March, 1955, Mr. George  Stanford was terminated and J. D.  Jackson was hired as caretaker.  The boats were sold in 1955.

Mack Purnell become the camp manger in 1962 but retired in January 1997, completing 34 years of service.  Pansy Price was president of the Texoma Camp Board in 1970 and Ruth Canterbury was treasurer in 1972.  Much has been accomplished in the last 35 years.  All the old cabins were torn down and new concrete block buildings were constructed.  The last new cabin was built around 1985.  The 80's were good years of progress.  Five outdoor shelters and a life guard building and shelter by the pool were built.  Ada cabin replaced with a double-wide mobile home, flag poles installed, new gate entry built, 100 new padded chairs bought, deck built on Ada cabin.  

In the 90's, cook cabin replaced with a mobile home, deck built on to the dining hall, and all showers were tiled.   All buildings were re-roofed due to hail storms.  Sometime, a large shop and storage building was built, a bedroom and bath was added to the manager's house and a sewage lagoon system was installed.  There is on going maintenance of dishwashers, stoves to buy and replace, freezers to be replaced, fences built, vanities built in all cabins, besides gallons of paint.  Mattresses and chairs to be recovered. 

Maintenance in 2000 is being paid for by church organizations or by volunteers who come to the camp for a weekend or more.  Harold Wegner and his wife now manage the camp.