Programs : Camp Christopher : Synopsis of Land

1800s
The Connecticut Land Company holds the title to the Bath Township property and sells it to settlers.

1810 – The Hammond Family of Connecticut purchases the first land, which consists of the Northeast corner of Bath Township, from the Connecticut Land Company. Son, Jason Hammond, and brother-in-law, Jonathan Hale, set out from Connecticut and head towards Bath Township. Jonathan Hale arrives first and becomes known as the first permanent settler. Jonathan Hale’s property includes lots 11, 12, 13 and 20 acres of lot 14, for a total of 500 acres.



1845 – The last portion of Bath Township is sold. Joseph Battles of CLC Holding Company sells portions of Lot 19 and 20 to Manville Thorp and Luke Wycoff. Manville Thorp is buried in Moore’s Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery (Chapel dates from 1869 to 1912). His wife, Fanny, lends her name to the hill at Camp and her name can be found carved at Mummy Cave. 
Manville and Fanny married November 13, 1832, and moved to Ohio in 1834.

• Son, Junius born in New York, November 25, 1833 was an early dentist of Richfield.
• Luke Wycoff is buried at the cemetery at Medina Line and Everett Road. Luke was an early blacksmith of the area.
• Oliver Moore is buried in the same cemetery. His was the largest donation to build the Methodist Church, hence Hametown Road Chapel was named for him.
• Hiram Worden is buried at Moore’s Chapel Cemetery. Worden Ledges carvings found at Hinckley historical site on Ledge Road provides an interesting tour.

1852
Samuel Shaw, owner of the Old Man’s Cabin property acquires additional acreage of the camp area on August 18, 1865. 

Richmond Shaw, Samuel’s son, acquires a portion of camp in 1870 and puts in the original road in 1880, crossing the creek from the present Day Camp entrance. 


1920s
Seth and Hilda Turner carve their names on the walls of the cave, sell to Tillie Wesebaum on July 13,

1921. Minnie Aikman purchases the camp land on September 23. 
1928 - Frank Adams acquires the property on August 28.



1937
James A. Sweizer, Frank Adams’ adopted son, acquires Camp land on June 15, 1937. This eccentric man lends himself to the basic Camp legends and is the Old Man of the Cabin. His Ferncliff Estate was well named for the wide variety of ferns. Sweizer’s unusual electric eye warning system, his water system, the staircase up the face of the cliff, his swimmin’ hole-Black Willow, assisted in developing this recluse’s image. 


1950
Timothy F. Doyle (one of the first class inductees into CYO’s Hall of Honor) acquires the north 82 acres on lot 19. 


1952 – Edward F. Hoban, Bishop of Cleveland, purchases the 80 acres of Ferncliff on March 26.



1964 – Camp acquires north acreage owned by Tim Doyle at the same price of his original purchase.

2002 and beyond
CYO and Community Services purchases five acres of land contiguous to Camp owned by the late Earl Fitzpatrick.