WE INVITE YOU TO BROWSE THROUGH OUR SITE AND CONTACT THE CAMP FIRE USA HEARTLAND COUNCIL OFFICE (913) 648-2121 WITH ANY QUESTIONS.  WE HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON!

Miss Abbie Staunton Hagerman took her own group of Camp Fire Girls to camp at the Hagerman farm north of Swope Park in 1913.  The first summer camp for Camp Fire Girls was held the summer of 1914 at what was then the A.L. Ruhl farm at 81st and State Line.  Kate Nelsonwas the camp director and 163 girls attended.  In 1914 Kate Nelson became the first full time Executive Director for the Kansas City Camp Fire Girls.

In 1915 in need of a larger facility, camp moved to the Frank Robinson farm near Grandview, Missouri.  Camp was held there for many years.  The camp was called Camp Shawnee due to a legend that told of a Native American chief who was buried under one of the trees at the site.

In 1928 campers left the Frank Robinson farm and attended Camp Towanyak in Lanagan, Missouri.  One year later camp was moved to Lake Lotawana where campers would remain for the next six summers.

The US Government was developing park land and camp site at Montserrat, Missouri, and in 1936 the Kansas City Camp Fire Girls moved into camp #1 at the brand new Monterrat Park.  The National Camp Fire Girls, together with Miss Marjorie Cooper, Executive Director of the Kansas City Camp Fire Girls Council, drew up the plans for the second camp at Montserrat where the girls would move in 1937.  The Montserrat Park and its two camps were built by the WPA.  The site, now known as Knob Noster State Park, remained the home for camp until 1970. 

The

Council, after many years of looking at and surveying many sites, bought 250 acres of land in

in 1953.  One lodge and a Caretaker's home were built almost immediately and in 1960, plans for a full time camp were started.  Fifteen buildings, consisting of two full units, a director's cabin, an infirmary, and a central shower house were completed in late 1969.  A first unit of Timber Lodge cabins was put up over many weekends by hard working

dads.  A tent platform unit was added in 1970 just in time to house 100 girls in four units.