Y Camp History

A Tradition of Building Better People

Founded in 1919 by Howard Crawford and George Weber, Y Camp began on a small piece of land nestled along the banks of the Des Moines River. Originally a boy’s camp, Crawford, the first Camp Director, began a journey that would lead the Des Moines Y Camp to become one of the premier summer camps in the Midwest and country. With the leadership of ten directors and the generous support of alumni, community members and volunteers, Y Camp now serves over 13,000 people a year and spans nearly 400 acres of the breathtaking Des Moines River Valley. 

Camp has been led by ten directors over the decades and many of their names have become intertwined with Y Camp’s legacy. They are listed here in chronological order:

  • Howard Crawford (1919 – 1945)
  • Leon Smith (1946 – 1953)
  • Harry Reinhardt (1953)
  • Marlow Cowan (1954 – 1969)
  • Ray Pugh (1970 – 1991)
  • Wyatt Pugh (1992 – 1994)
  • Dan Breitbach (1995 – 1999)
  • John Schmitz (2000)
  • Dave Sherry (2001 - 2019)
  • Alex Kretzinger (2019-Present)

We are thankful for camp’s rich history and the impact it’s had on hundreds of thousands of lives. Today year-round programs bring in campers, groups and families from many diverse backgrounds. Whether through school programs, summer camp or group and retreats, we strive to continue to carry on the tradition of building better people every day. 

We recognize the value that history has in our lives and in camp’s development. We can’t possibly tell the thousands of stories here, but please take time to look over the photos here which follow our journey over the last 100 years.

 

Land History

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WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DES MOINES Y CAMP IS LOCATED ON THE ANCESTRAL AND TRADITIONAL LANDS OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO STEWARDED AND INHABITED THEM FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
IN PARTICULAR WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE BAXOJE (IOWAY) AND OCETI SAKOWIN NATIONS, AS WELL AS, MORE RECENTLY, THE MESKWAKI, SAUK/SAC AND FOX NATIONS, FROM WHOM THIS LAND WAS OBTAINED IN THE TREATY OF 1842.
WE WISH TO RECOGNIZE OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THIS LAND AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK CARE OF IT, AS WELL AS TO THE 17,000 NATIVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN IOWA TODAY.

 

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