1957-2005
Judson Hills Camp
Loudonville Ohio OH
The Ohio Baptist Convention purchased property for Judson Hills camp in 1957 and held their first camp the next summer in 1958. Chuck Armstrong was a volunteer camp counselor there in 1969 but the next summer was promoted to being a paid camp counselor along with his friend, Laura Klemo. In the fall of 1970 Chuck went away to Judson College (now University) in Elgin, Illinois, to prepare for a career in church-related ministries and earned a teaching certificate in secondary math and science. From then on Chuck with involved with Judson Hills and supplied many of these memories about the camp.[1]
Development of the camp began quickly after the 1957 purchase. A dining hall was constructed with eating facilities on the second floor and the camp store and meeting room on the lower floor. This construction project created a small pond in front of the dining hall which was often a temptation for the boys at camp.
In 1961 Mr. and Mrs. Burt Gilmore who began service as camp managers. They were responsible for building the driveway into the camp to service the dining hall, storage shed and the camp manager’s home. In the late 60’s five sleeping cabins were constructed for girls that could sleep 10 people. The two rooms were separated by bathrooms and showers. The boys slept in tents and tipis until their three-sided housing units were constructed with central baths and showers.
In 1972 the Gilmores retired and the management of Judson Hills went to Clay and Naomi Peasley. Clay also pastored a church at Attica, Ohio, but was felled with a heart attack at the camp in the early 90’s. The Peasleys were followed by Rorke and Jinni Warande and then by Jamie Carmone who spent the winter months as a custodian at Northern Seminary in Chicagoland. During this time Jack Klemo, a Licking County gravel hauler and contractor, built the Nehemiah Center with 9 sleeping rooms and one dining and meeting room adding another dimension to the campus facilities.
Chuck Armstrong had a tradition of leading two camps per year at Judson Hills and remembers them with joy. The first week of the summer schedule was senior high leadership training where he focused on passages from Nehemiah. This camp was not only to prepare for the summer camping season but also have these teens consider Christian ministry as a life-time vocation. He remembers some of his students being Jeff Cooper[2] who is a pastor at Ashland Baptist Church in Oregon, Ohio; Ken Atchison who pastored the Washington Avenue Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio; Mark Dieselberg who is a missionary in Thailand; and Roger Alber now pastor of First Baptist Church in Massillon, Ohio.
The second camp of the summer was for fifth and sixth graders and was generally the evangelistic event of the summer. Chuck recalls that one summer they had 72 registered campers and 38 of them made first-time commitments to follow Jesus.
But in 2005, when it was time to close Judson Hills Camp, Chuck Armstrong was called to preach the final sermon under the picnic shelter that served as the registration area. One former camper, disappointed at the decision to sell Judson Hills, reported that event in these words:
I went to a funeral yesterday. People told stories about good times, and shed tears in recognition of a relationship that had ended. A eulogy was rendered, and we were sent off with a sense of closure. The deceased wasn’t a friend, but rather a place — the Judson Hills Camp in Loudenville OH.
Judson Hills had been owned by the Ohio Region of the American Baptist Churches USA since some time in the 1950s. The main lodge building is nearly 50 years old. All you have to do is look around at many photos in the composite pictures that hung in the lodge to know that this camp has provided a safe, fun and meaningful experience for two whole generations of kids.
Like many of the structures and facilities we enjoy today, Judson Hills was purchased and built by the folks who fought and won World War II. I regret to say that my generation — the children of the WWII veterans — grew up to be consumers and not builders. We’ve consumed the legacy of our parents, and have yet to stand up and take their place as stewards of this great country. But that’s another rant for another time.[3]
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[1] Chuck Armstrong phone conversation with Jerry Cain, November 30, 2022
[2] Jeff Cooper recalls that in February 1981, he had to find Kim Gamble, a friend from Judson College (now University) where they both attended. He drove to Judson Hills where Kim was working a singles retreat to tell her that God wanted them to be married. Kim eventually accepted that proposal and has been married to Jeff for over 40 years. “God knew that she was the ONLY one for me and Judson Hills had a large part in our story.”
[3] http://hilliardchronicles.blogspot.com/2005/09/in-memorium-judson-hills-camp.html