Beloved Southington Summer Camp Celebrating 75 Years

SOUTHINGTON, CT — On 1000 East St. in Southington, there sits a facility that has become as much a part of local children's summers as the sun, ice cream, and the absence of pencils and books.

It is called Camp Sloper and the YMCA-operated summer camp is celebrating a major milestone this weekend, with two days of events Friday and Saturday commemorating 75 years of summer recreation.

On Friday, July 19, Camp Sloper is hosting "Alumni Camp Tours" from noon to 3 p.m. (unless it is raining).

This event is a perfect way for those who grew up attending camp there and, possibly, working there when they get older, to see the changes at their beloved summer hideout.

After the tours, a 3 p.m. "Happy Hour" will take place at the camp for those aged 21 and up. If it rains, that portion of the event will be moved to a local establishment that has yet to be finalized.

The good news is weather forecasts are calling for a sunny and dry Friday.

Then, on Saturday, July 20, Camp Sloper is hosting its 75th Anniversary Celebration Picnic from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the McLeod Pavilion on site.

This event is moved to July 21 if it rains, but weather forecasts are calling for equally fine weather on Saturday as on Friday.

Registration in advance is requested, as the "Y" is looking to get an indication of attendance both days. It can be done online.

The beloved summer camp dates back to 1730 when Robert Sloper received a state land grant in what is now Southington.

Flash forward 219 years, and Sloper's last living descendent, Cornelia Sloper Neal, gifted the property to the YMCA in 1949 solely for use as a summer camp.

Since then, Camp Sloper and Southington summers have gone hand-in-hand, with generations of residents going to camp, then sending their kids to camp, and then watching their grandchildren attend camp there.

But Camp Sloper isn't just a summer camp.

It is the scene of programs year-round that serve local children and families, with school trips, birthday parties, and facility rentals for events keeping Sloper busy all months of the year.

"This gift would develop over the next 75 years into YMCA Camp Sloper, an outdoor center that provides year-round programming to thousands of youth," writes the Southington YMCA on its Camp Sloper website.

"For this, we say thank you to Cornelia and the entire Sloper/Neal family for gifting such a magical place."

To RSVP for the July 19 YMCA Camp Sloper Alumni Tours/Happy Hour events, click on this link.

To RSVP for the July 20 YMCA Camp Sloper 75th Anniversary Picnic, click on this link.

For more information on Southington YMCA Camp Sloper, click on this link.