History took a new slant in the early 1900s. A Judge Brackett from Massachusetts purchased the land to use for a summer vacation spot. He called it Brachett's Claim. He lived at first in the old farmhouse while he was building the Lodge. A summer thunderstorm set the farmhouse and the attached barn on fire, so he moved into the lodge, adding on to make it sufficient for his needs. He also built the building in the field, which we call the Hobby House.

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     He used it for a theater and imported actors from New York and Massachusetts to put on plays for the entertainment of his guests. He hired gardeners, and laid out garden fountains, making quite a showplace of the old farm. It is interesting to note that although all his use of the land was only for his pleasure, God was working through him and his wealth to lay the foundations for camp which was to come; already two main buildings were built, a road to the Lodge was opened, and a water system pumped water from the lake. In 1930 Mr. Brackett died and his property was auctioned off.

 

     The next owner was Alfred Avery. His purpose for buying the property was to open it in the summer for children from the Home for Little Wanderers so that they could have an experience of sharing country living.  For many years he kept this project going. Then he decided that the youngsters would profit from a farm experience. So Sentinel Lodge...Mr. Avery's name for the camp...was not being used during the summer.

 

     But the finger of God was pointing to a group of New Hampshire Baptists who in 1948 had asked Myrtle Auch to be their Christian Education Director. They gave her the task of finding a camp for our young people. Word got to them that Sentinel was available and in time the committee came to Sentinel and fell in love with its beauty and its possibilities. They met Mr. Avery and were given permission to use the land free of charge for summer camp. The lodge had a kitchen, a large dining room, and a large meeting room, which provided space for the first few years. The fishbowl served as the girls sleeping quarters divided into two sections by curtains.

 

      The Hobby House moved from being a theater to being a craft shop and an indoor recreation hall for rainy days. The first summer of camping in 1949 Myrtle Auch had a budget of $600 for operating funds. She ended the season with $3 in the black.

 

     The fundamental emphasis in our reason for being is to introduce children to the worlds of God's creation, to encourage them to live together in Christian fellowship, to share in Bible learning and worship experiences, and to lay the foundations for a firm Christian faith.

 

     Since the beginning of the Baptist witness through Sentinel Baptist Camp, under the able leadership of Myrtle Auch, and until this day over 25,000 young people have experienced the outdoors adventure and the love of Christ. New buildings have been built, new programs tried, but our reason for being here remains the same.