The Cedar Mountain area has been home to numerous camps
through the years. The earliest mention of Cedar Mountain campers in the Sylvan
Valley News appeared on August 20, 1909. 
It read, “Professor Hugh Shockly of Spartanburg with 18 boys passed
through Brevard Wednesday on their way home from a camping stay at Cedar
Mountain.” 

Although it is unknown if this was the first such group,
over the next several years Cedar Mountain became popular among upstate
campers.  Greenville Boy Scouts, the
Greenville Y.M.C.A. and Tangle Foot Girls of Greenville were among those who
frequently camped in the Cedar Mountain area.

In 1922 there is a brief mention of Camp Comfort in Cedar
Mountain which appears to have continued to operate until at least 1926.

Cedar Mountain was the home of three mill camps from 1925
to around 1950.  These camps provided a
break from the heat and humidity of the piedmont region and from factory jobs
for workers and their families.  Employees
signed up for a week, packed up their families and enjoyed hiking, swimming, dances,
games and a time to relax in the mountains.

Elks Club Camp at the former Piedmont Camp.

Piedmont Camp operated from 1925 until 1950.  After it closed the Elks Club of Greenville
held a boys’ camp there for several years. 
In 1979 Wilderness Journey, a Christian camp stressing outdoor skills
for youth and adults opened on the property. 
Campers had to climb a 100-foot cliff and hike into the camp when they
arrived as an initiation.

Victor Monaghan Mills built
Camp Reasonover on Reasonover Rd. for their employees and families.  It was sold to the
South Carolina Education Association in 1954.  They operated it as Camp
Socareda, a summer camp for teachers and students.   It was the Eva
Good Presbyterian Conference Center from about 1969-1992.

Judson Camp, owned by Judson Mills,
was never completely finished.  It was
located where Sherwood Forest is today. 

Aerial view of Summit Camps.

Summit Camps was located on 1,400
acres that are part of the DuPont State Recreational Forest today.  It consisted of both a boys’ camp and a girls’
camp.  Camp Summit had its own airstrip,
which was used by the camp owner and parents of campers.  The camp operated from 1969 through 1986.  In 1991 DuPont bought the property, including
the camp buildings, Lake Julia and the airstrip.

Other camps in the Cedar Mountain area
have included Camp Burgiss Glenn, Harmony Farm—a summer riding school, Camp
Greenville-YMCA and High Rocks Camp. 

To learn more about Transylvania’s Summer Camps visit The
Museum of Transylvania Heritage on West Main St. 

Photographs
and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina
Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit
the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about
our history and see additional photographs. 
For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at [email protected]
or 828-884-3151 X242.