Group Play, Woodcrafters of the Culver Summer School," reads this undated postcard depicting the Camp before its aforementioned 1930 move.
A wonderful postcard from Jim Croy's collection depicting the Council Fire, a part of the Woodcraft camp's summer program that has been the source of generations of fond memories, and continues to be a weekly Culver tradition on Saturday nights in June and July. The first permanent Council Fire Ring was apparently built in 1917 (presumably that one is what we see in the above images), with various changes and additions being made in subsequent years. Mark Roeder's Culver history book has some fascinating detail about the Council Fire's history here.
Two shots from the Council Fire Indian dances at Woodcraft. Here, students are instructed behind the scenes.
The Council Fire dancers at the ring in the Bird Sanctuary, early 1970s.
This 1928 photo shows a large catch from Lake Maxinkuckee, and two Woodcraft campers displaying it. From Maj. Dick Zimmerman's History of the Woodcraft Camp, available full-text online here.
Woodcraft campers in 1931 displaying decorated canoe paddles they made at camp. From Maj. Dick Zimmerman's History of the Woodcraft Camp, available full-text online here.
"Shoot the Chutes, Culver Summer Naval School," a 1910 postcard.
The swimsuits worn on this undated, early 20th century postcard give some indication of its era. It's caption reads, "Bathing Scene, Culver Naval Academy, Culver, Indiana."
"A Woodcraft Canoe Trip Down the Tippecanoe River," part of the aforementioned 1937 CMA postcard from Ted Schenberg's collection.
A colorized 1933 postcard of the Woodcrafters, courtesy Peter Trone.
A 1956 postcard showing Woodcrafters canoeing on the lake, courtesy Peter Trone.
"Woodcraft at Mess," an undated, colorized postcard, probably from 1900-1920, courtesy Peter Trone.
Woodcraft students march en masse to the Council Ring on a summer Saturday night in the late 1960s to attend a Council Fire dance in the ring in the Bird Sanctuary.
From the 1927 Tippicanoe River trip, two Woodcraft campers display the camp motto. From Maj. Dick Zimmerman's History of the Woodcraft Camp, available full-text online here.
This 1916 photo shows Woodcraft campers lining up for an overnight hike. From Maj. Dick Zimmerman's History of the Woodcraft Camp, available full-text online here.
"Summer School of Woodcraft for Younger Boys," a program that had only recently begun at the time, part of a collection of postcard images of Culver Academy copyrighted 1913, generously loaned the library by Martha Payson Ryman.
An undated postcard captioned, "Water Sports," probably depicting students in the Summer Naval program.
A swimming contest is depicted in this undated, colorized photo.
Woodcraft camp Captain James A. McClung inspects his campers, 1936. From Maj. Dick Zimmerman's History of the Woodcraft Camp, available full-text online here.
Photos of the Camp Grounds and Facilities
The Summer School Naval Program: Boats
Related links:
The Black Horse Troop of Culver
Black Horse of Culver by Helen Orr Watson
Complete Books, Catalogs, and other Writings
Woodcraft Camp - the catalog from the 1960s
A Summer Naval School Catalog, 1918
Culver Woodcraft Camp 75th Anniversary History Book by Maj. Dick Zimmerman (the complete book online)
The Summer School of Horsemanship Catalog online (1960s)
A Summer at Culver Woodcraft Camp - promotional book and catalog advertising the benefits of Culver's summer programs, probably from the 1960s.