Location: Southfields, NY.
Distance from Y C.: 30 mi
Terrain: Hilly, wooded, rocky.
Start Date: Camp building program started 4/1/28. End Date: Closed 5/31/84.
Name Origin: From Spruce Pond.
Acquisition: The Spruce Pond property in the Romapo Mountains was always owned by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission and was leased for use by the New York City Scouts.
It was the site of the Rock Oak Forestry Camp, established in 1923, one of the two Franklin
D. Roosevelt Conservation Camps associated with the Kanchwahkee Scout Camps. In 1728, Brooklyn council was permitted to develop a lean-to short-term camp on the property. By May 1930, the camp was used by Brooklyn Council for a Scout Leader's Training Course
How Disposed: ©NYC let the lease with the Polisades Interstate Park Commission lapse in 1984 over disagreements with the Commission, mainly over camp safety, staffing and maintenance issues. Emergency vehicles were unable to get to the camp over the steep gravel road and the Park Commission was not willing to pave the road, claiming that it was 100 expensive.
Weekend Facilities: Tent sites, eighteen large log 14-person lean-tos with potbellied stoves and tarps for inclement weather. Scouts slept on the floors of the lean-tos. Coal was purchased from the campmaster.
Rakes. brooms and waste containers supplied.
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Weekend Staff: Campmaster.
Lake or Pool: Spruce Pond with swimming, boating and fishing.
Summer Operations: Waterfront dock and swimming crib, with rowboats were available for
surrer use.
Summer Staff: Full-time Campmaster May 15th - Sept. 15th (1940's). Waterfront Director supervised swimming.
Landmarks: Red Apple Rest (restaurent), across Route 17 from camp entrance
Additional Into: Siarting point for treks into harman state lark and the nearby
Appalachian Trail.