Boy Scouts of America, San Francisco Bay Area Council • 1001 Davis Street, San Leandro, CA 94577-1514, (510) 577-9000
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Camp Lilienthal (Marin County)
History
1929 - 1973
History
1929 - 1973
After the close of the original Camp Lilienthal in San Francisco’s Stern Grove area in 1925 due to lack of funds, the San Francisco Council was still in need of a local camp that could be used for week-end purposes. In early 1929 the estate of William Kent was offered to the San Francisco Council. The 27 acre property was located in Marin County above the town of Fairfax and already consisted of a main house and swimming pool. The property was surrounded by open land with direct access to nearby lakes and Mt Tamalpias.
William Kent who died in 1928 was a philanthropist as well as a United States Congressman who twenty years earlier had spearheaded a movement in 1908 to create the Muir Woods National Monument by donating 295 acres of a virgin redwood forest he owned to the Federal Government for use as the Monument. The town of Kentfield located about five miles east of his estate is named after his family.
In April of 1929, John McGregor and Max P Lilienthal (trustees for the San Francisco Council) purchased the Kent Estate for $22,000 for use as a new scout camp. Max Lilienthal was the uncle of Jesse Lilienthal, the SF Councils first President. The San Francisco Council would once again name the camp “Lilienthal” in honor Jesse W. Lilienthal the first Council President. So there are two Camp Lilienthals (the first one located in San Francisco from 1919 until 1925 and the second one located in Marin County from 1929 until 1973.)
In the early years the scouts would catch a ferry boat from San Francisco and disembark in Sausalito. From Sausalito they would then take a train over to the town of Fairfax where their camping equipment would be loaded onto trucks and driven to camp. The boys would hike the 2 miles from the Fairfax train station to the camp location.
By 1935 the San Francisco council was in a sound financial position to pay off the mortgage of Camp Lilienthal making the property owned free and clear. That year, Camp Lilienthal also served over 3389 Scouts during the weekends and 1127 Scouts during summer sessions.
In 1946, the program director at Camp Lilienthal (Dick Hacke) led a group of Scouts on a 65 mile trek from Camp Lilienthal over to Camp Royaneh in Sonoma county. The Scouts took four days to complete this trek using trails and secondary roads to make their way.
In 1947 after almost twenty years of use as a scout camp, Lilienthal was in need of some major repairs before the camp could open for the 1948 season. The old wooden walk-in ice box/refrigerator was condemned by the city of Fairfax and removed. Concrete bulkheads had to be added to the administration and vocational building. A garage needed to be built to protect the council truck and other equipment. Fire suppression such as fire hoses and fire lines and other safety provisions had to added. The total cost of the repairs was estimated to be around $10,000. The council considered mortgaging the camp and borrowing the money but ultimately the board agreed to borrow the $10,000 on a deed of trust which was carried out on April 4, 1947 by Wells Fargo Bank with an immediate loan of $6,000.
In May of 1964, three months after the San Francisco Council and the Oakland Area Council merged, the Roland E Dye rangers cottage at Camp Lilienthal was dedicated in honor of Roland Dye, former San Francisco Scout Exec who died in 1962.
With the merging of the two councils, the San Francisco Bay Area Council now had six camps, including Camp Lilienthal. In 1973 due to fewer Scouts using the camp, the encroachment of housing around Camp Lilienthal and the cost to operate so many camps, it was decided to close Camp Lilienthal after 44 years of Scouting activity in Marin County. Two years later the camp would be sold for $150,000 to the Islamic Society of California.
Notes:
Rifle range for Camp Lilienthal is located in basement of admin building
Troops that maintain their own cabins at Lilienthal are : Troop 2, 37, 69, 85, 88, 93, 95, 104, 234
McGregor Swimming Pool chief attraction at camp
Buildings include: Admin building handicraft hall, hospital and modern camping facilities
William Kent who died in 1928 was a philanthropist as well as a United States Congressman who twenty years earlier had spearheaded a movement in 1908 to create the Muir Woods National Monument by donating 295 acres of a virgin redwood forest he owned to the Federal Government for use as the Monument. The town of Kentfield located about five miles east of his estate is named after his family.
In April of 1929, John McGregor and Max P Lilienthal (trustees for the San Francisco Council) purchased the Kent Estate for $22,000 for use as a new scout camp. Max Lilienthal was the uncle of Jesse Lilienthal, the SF Councils first President. The San Francisco Council would once again name the camp “Lilienthal” in honor Jesse W. Lilienthal the first Council President. So there are two Camp Lilienthals (the first one located in San Francisco from 1919 until 1925 and the second one located in Marin County from 1929 until 1973.)
In the early years the scouts would catch a ferry boat from San Francisco and disembark in Sausalito. From Sausalito they would then take a train over to the town of Fairfax where their camping equipment would be loaded onto trucks and driven to camp. The boys would hike the 2 miles from the Fairfax train station to the camp location.
By 1935 the San Francisco council was in a sound financial position to pay off the mortgage of Camp Lilienthal making the property owned free and clear. That year, Camp Lilienthal also served over 3389 Scouts during the weekends and 1127 Scouts during summer sessions.
In 1946, the program director at Camp Lilienthal (Dick Hacke) led a group of Scouts on a 65 mile trek from Camp Lilienthal over to Camp Royaneh in Sonoma county. The Scouts took four days to complete this trek using trails and secondary roads to make their way.
In 1947 after almost twenty years of use as a scout camp, Lilienthal was in need of some major repairs before the camp could open for the 1948 season. The old wooden walk-in ice box/refrigerator was condemned by the city of Fairfax and removed. Concrete bulkheads had to be added to the administration and vocational building. A garage needed to be built to protect the council truck and other equipment. Fire suppression such as fire hoses and fire lines and other safety provisions had to added. The total cost of the repairs was estimated to be around $10,000. The council considered mortgaging the camp and borrowing the money but ultimately the board agreed to borrow the $10,000 on a deed of trust which was carried out on April 4, 1947 by Wells Fargo Bank with an immediate loan of $6,000.
In May of 1964, three months after the San Francisco Council and the Oakland Area Council merged, the Roland E Dye rangers cottage at Camp Lilienthal was dedicated in honor of Roland Dye, former San Francisco Scout Exec who died in 1962.
With the merging of the two councils, the San Francisco Bay Area Council now had six camps, including Camp Lilienthal. In 1973 due to fewer Scouts using the camp, the encroachment of housing around Camp Lilienthal and the cost to operate so many camps, it was decided to close Camp Lilienthal after 44 years of Scouting activity in Marin County. Two years later the camp would be sold for $150,000 to the Islamic Society of California.
Notes:
Rifle range for Camp Lilienthal is located in basement of admin building
Troops that maintain their own cabins at Lilienthal are : Troop 2, 37, 69, 85, 88, 93, 95, 104, 234
McGregor Swimming Pool chief attraction at camp
Buildings include: Admin building handicraft hall, hospital and modern camping facilities
Boy Scouts of America, San Francisco Bay Area Council • 1001 Davis Street, San Leandro, CA 94577-1514, (510) 577-9000
