A Narrative Brief History of Albright Park Camp (by Sylvestra Zimmerman Schwalm)

The first camp meeting I am told was held in 1898 in John Hainbecker’s wood lot about ½ mile west of the present location. For 3 years the meetings were held there. Then, in 1901 the Camp Association leased 10 acres of ground from the Railroad to hold the services in the beautiful groves on the banks of the Hersey River. In 1907, after much prayer, the site was bought from the Pere Marquette Railroad Company for $200 and named Albright Park. Much credit goes to Rev. Riebel for the purchase of this property.

In the early years, 1902, when the big tent was used the men from the two churches (Hersey and Reed City) met out there on Wednesday or Thursday PM to erect the large tent with its tall wooded poles, using ropes and ladders to do this task and thoroughly anchoring the ropes to stakes driven in the ground outside. After the big tent was up the men would help each other put up their own individual tents.

David Hill was an evangelist in 1918 who saw the need for a permanent structure to be erected as a tabernacle. He gave council and advice as to how much of the material required could be cut from trees growing on the grounds and shortly thereafter in 1919, the present tabernacle, 6,480 square feet in size was erected.

Doctor Wendell Bassett, one of our more recent District Superintendents. He usually hurriedly ate his dinner and then brought the guest speaker to as many picnic groups as he could to chat a bit and make us all feel welcome. Many groups coming as far away as Rockford, Grand Rapids, Ludington, Scottville, Traverse City and Evart would bring their picnic dinners to join the people of the local area. From 500 to 800 in attendance on Sundays was not unusual and on especially nice Sundays after many owned cars the attendance would be near the 1,000 mark.

Hannah Dalstrom who later became the wife of George Bernard, the author of “The Old Rugged Cross”, was our very talented pianist for many years.

A vesper bowl with a stone pulpit has been erected on the banks of the Hersey River where some of the services are conducted when the weather permits.

The dining hall was erected in 1907 and in 1925 was enlarged with a kitchen added and enough dormitory rooms were added to accommodate 50 people.

Tents gave way to cottages in 1920.

The Chapel in the Woods was erected in 1945.