Our History
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Thousand Pines Christian Camp has existed for a long time, but it has not always gone by that name. Soon after the turn of the century, children played in the pine needles near the tree that now supports the camp bell. But they were not attending Baptist conferences; they were children of the loggers who worked in the surrounding forests.
Yes, Thousand Pines had its beginning as a logging camp, and the boys and girls attended classes in the building that is still known as the "school house."
The passing years saw a diminishing demand for low grade pine lumber, so the mills gradually dropped out of existence with the influx of tourists and sightseers visiting the area, Crestline soon became a mountain resort and a recreation area for hundreds of flat-landers from the valley below.
Thousand Pines flourished once more, this time as the Crest Forest Club. On weekends and holidays, the dance hall, which served liquor, echoed with raucous laughter and rattling dice. The resort area was transformed into a “frontier town.” Finally, when a murder took place on the grounds, the club was closed by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
During the years that followed, several other groups used the area - with a government C.C.C. camp as the last occupancy before it became the present camp grounds.
At this point in time, the hand of God began to move upon the scene, and transformation started to take place. God’s hand was placed on the heart of Arthur Gregory, a Baptist layman who gained a vision of how the area could be used as a Christian camp. When the Southern California Baptist Convention learned of the proposed gift, a committee of thee was appointed to study the proposal and make a report to the Convention Board. The committee was composed of: Dr. Catherwood, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Riverside; the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Compton; and Rev. Ivan Bell, The committee recommended that Mr. Gregory’s offer of the gift of the land not be accepted unless the Convention Board was willing to support the program financially. With that understanding, the Board accepted the property - and the rest is history.
In 1939, Mr. and Mrs. Gregory deeded ten acres of land to the Southern California Baptist Convention. This was the beginning of what became known as Thousand Pines Baptist Camp.
Mr. and Mrs. Vans were employed to take on the job of renovation. An appropriation of $25,000 was made to line the cabins’ interiors with knotty pine, build two large toilet/shower buildings, a new kitchen, as well as make several other improvements to get the camp into usable condition.
At the end of the first year, Dr. Sam West was assigned to continue
the work of renovation and mage the grounds.
The first camp to be held at Thousand Pines was a Junior High Guild
camp. Other camps held in the summer of 1939 included the Baptist
Boys camp, directed by Joan Bell, and Young Married People’s camp.
Mrs. Wilbur Rogers served as dean of the first family camp held at Thousand Pines, with Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Brink serving as co-chairmen of the planning committee. In 1939 and 1940, Rev. Ivan Bell served as director of the boys’ camp, followed in 1941 by Harold (“Tiny”) Dixon.
Other directors during those early years of Thousand Pines were: Dr. Oliver Cummings; Rev. Roger Ackley; and Rev. J. Samuel Bailey, who had been serving as Director of Christian Education for the Tri-State area.
In 1949, Dr. West left Thousand Pines to become manager of Atherton Court, a home for retired ministers and missionaries. During the time that Sam and Eleanor West served at Thousand Pines, many buildings were erected, including Long Beach Lodge, the Administration Building, Hospitality House, along with bunk houses and cabins. Two outdoor amphitheaters were constructed and additional land procured. Water development was of major importance as was the installation of natural gas, which nade year-round camping possible.
The Convention Board decided to combine grounds maintenance and camp programming in one office. Rev. G. Wayne Murphy, who had been recently added to the Christian Education staff, was appointed as director of Camps and Conferences.
In 1956 the McKee Prayer Chapel was complete, built in memory of Rev. Howard McKee, who at the time of his home going was pastor of the First Baptist church of Taft. Rev. McKee had been active at Thousand Pines as dean of recreation director for several camps. Funds for the construction of the chapel were supplied by the First Baptist Church of Downey.
Even though buildings had been added and improved at Thousand Pines, new facilities were needed and additional ground had to be secured for future expansion. Through the personal gift of Miss Grace Hershey, an adjoining 110 acres were purchased to provide additional camp sites. In time, four cabins and a lodge were constructed to complete a new unit known as Ponderosa. This made it possible to house an additional 68 campers.
In October of 1968, a fire destroyed the dining room, kitchen, an upper dormitory and the museum. Fortunately, the Ponderosa kitchen was available to prepare food for al of the campers, and the canteen was converted to house a temporary, but long-term kitchen. he Hospitality House was converted to adjoining room to feed the winter campers, and large circus tent was erected to house diners at the summer camps during 1969 and 1970.
In June of 1969, Rev. Ron Kallander was hired as the on-site director for Thousand Pines. In February of 1970, Gene and Loretta Grimm came aboard - Gene as property supervisor and Loretta as kitchen supervisor. In the spring of 1971, the new dining room was completed and dedicated, and was ready for the campers that summer.
In 1981 a new unit was started, later to become known as The Cedars. The funds for the first duplex were donated by members of the First Baptist Church of Covina.
In 1982, a campaign was started to raise funds to be used for facility
construction at all four of the Region’s camps. Rev. Doug Jeffrey
was the chairman of this successful campaign, with a total of $1,278,000
pledged by members and friends of he Region. Through the funds received
from the Investment in Life campaign, three more duplexes were built
in the Cedars unit. Other major projects completed from the Investment
in Life campaign are the Chester Scott craft/assembly building and
the Allen Playgound for children.
In 1984, Rev. G. Wayne Murphy retired as regional minister of Camping,
after 35 years of faithful service. Rev. Robert J. Neill was called
to be the new regional minister and to continue t he fruitful camping
ministry in the Pacific Southwest.
