George Williams founded the YMCA in London, England in 1844 as a bible study for a group of friends. The YMCA quickly spread through Boston. The Seattle YMCA was founded in 1876.
Original to the YMCA
The YMCA takes credit for the invention of the following sports and programs: Basketball, Volleyball, Walleyball, Boy Scouts, Indian Guides and Princesses, and Professional Football.
Origin of Camp ColmanCamp Colman is named after the Colman Family, who is responsible for the development of three major camps in the Puget Sound area... YMCA Camp Orkila on Orcas Island, Sea Beck Conference Center located on Hood Canal, and Camp Colman located on southern Puget Sound.
Colman Family
J.M. Colman was a Scottish immigrant who secured a fortune in the timber business. The J.M. Colman enterprise soon diversified into the Black Diamond Rail Road, coal, a steam boat fleet, and real estate. The family enjoyed cruising the Puget Sound in their steam driven yacht, the "Osprey."
Horsehead Bay is the location of the summer residence of the Colman family, and the site of the summer camp until 1965. As early as 1912, the Colmans began to bring campers from the Downtown Congregational Church to camp at Horsehead Bay. The program was expanded to include children from the Fauntleroy YMCA located in West Seattle, where the Colmans built a home and gave leadership to the local YMCA and community church.
Camp Colman on Horsehead Bay was located on about 50 acres of beach front property. The beautiful gravel beach, with warm salt water, and slow sloping terrain was the focal point for boating, swimming and a new thrill, water skiing. A giant float with high and low diving board, and giant water slide enriched the wonderful water activities. Cabins were assembled around a grass infield that extended back from the beach, and was the site of camp calisthenics led by the Camp Director before breakfast. Morning chapel was held in a benched area overlooking the Bay and the spit in the distance. Campfire was held in a wooded campfire site located about a 10 minute walk through the woods. Meals were prepared in a wood burning range and served in an outdoor canvas covered dining hall with one giant table for seating of all campers and leaders. Competition of cabins from clean up, to having the best skit each night dominated the cabin program day.
New Camp Colman
Camp Colman was moved to the new site on Whiteman cove in 1965. Horsehead Bay had become over populated with summer and permanent homes. The Colman and Pierce families had grown and there was not enough space and time for their extended family and summer youth camp to co-exist.
The First Cabin
The first cabin built at the new camp was Yarrow Cabin, in memory of Ernie Yarrow, long time minister of the Fauntleroy Community Church, and former camp leader. The first day of the new camp rained and rained. The rain delayed the assembly of tent cabins so 35 soaking wet campers slept on the floor of Yarrow cabin the first night.Pierce Family
Laurence Colman had two children; Ken Colman and Isabell Colman Pierce. Isabell and her husband were very active in their support of the Horsehead Bay camp. The Pierce baseball field was the site of many a competitive cabin softball game. A homerun was a hit over the bulkhead into the salt water, in the bay.
The Lagoon
A natural inlet that would empty at low tide. The Department of Natural Resources enhanced the lagoon by reinforcing the spit, installing inlet pipes and damming the tide exit. Fingerling salmon were then released in the lagoon, with the hope that they would grow into maturite salmon when released. While a few salmon did return in the fall, the project was abandoned, after three years of operation.
Anderson Lodge
Anderson lodge was built by Charlie Anderson in memory of his late parents. The unique octagon-shaped building is used for food service, staff housing, and guest housing. Charlie has also been very generous of his time and resources by securing funding for the Holder Shelter (pavilion) and Markey Cabin.
The Anderson Lodge is currently under construction as we add onto the current structure in response to our program and participant growth. The lodge should be complete by the beginning of the centenial year, 2012.
Osprey
One of five steam driven yachts the Colmans designed, built and sailed around the Puget Sound. For years this was the only form of transportation used to take children to Camp Colman on Horsehead Bay. The Osprey was ninety feet long, twelve feet wide, traveled at 12 knots per hour, and carried about 50 campers.
