Camp Daggett
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03001 Church Road
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Nestled on the west arm of picturesque Walloon Lake in Northern Michigan, Camp Daggett has been a longstanding nonprofit organization serving generations of summer campers and outdoor enthusiasts since 1925. The camp's origin dates back to the late 1890s when Henry R. Daggett, a Petoskey business owner, brought his Sunday School classes to his Walloon Lake property. Decades later, in 1924, his daughter, Harriet S. Harper, donated the 43-acre parcel to establish a children’s summer camp. In 1925, Petoskey teacher Walter J. MacMillan opened Camp Daggett, initially a boys' camp, with the support of the Petoskey Rotary and Kiwanis clubs.
Early development involved appointing a Board of Trustees, building a bridge, and constructing a kitchen with stones from nearby fields. The first two years featured wilderness camping with tents and creek water. By 1927, girls' sessions were introduced, and the kitchen, main lodge, and cabins were completed. Water was pumped from a hand-pumped well, and electricity arrived in the late 1930s. The camp closed in 1945 due to World War II counselor shortages but reopened in 1948 with new facilities and an expanded Board of Trustees.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Camp Daggett continued to grow, adding new cabins and infrastructure. In 1954, Walter J. MacMillan retired, succeeded by leaders like Will Splan, Margaret Johnson, and Bob Woodruff, who oversaw further expansion and the transition to co-ed staffing and sessions in the early 1970s. From 1975 to 1976 the
camp saw significant upgrades, strategic planning, and the introduction of year-round camping and outdoor education programs.
From 1976 to 1990, Camp Daggett added camper cabins and modern facilities like the Mort Neff Center and Mac Hall, expanding programming to include outdoor education. The early 1990s brought leadership transitions, organizational restructuring, and major
infrastructure projects, including the Adventure Center and Maintenance Building, marking a new era of growth. From 2007 to 2012, strategic planning and significant infrastructure upgrades continued, with the Adventure Center and Maintenance Building demonstrating the camp's commitment to excellence.
Modernization efforts from 2005 to 2012 included new leadership roles, infrastructure updates, and fundraising initiatives. Since 2012, Camp Daggett has focused on program development and community engagement, remaining a beacon of outdoor education and youth development. The camp's mission, integral to every activity, is to provide quality character-building experiences through educational and recreational programs in a safe, fun environment, emphasizing youth while serving all ages and living out their Motto, “The Other Fellow First.”
Early development involved appointing a Board of Trustees, building a bridge, and constructing a kitchen with stones from nearby fields. The first two years featured wilderness camping with tents and creek water. By 1927, girls' sessions were introduced, and the kitchen, main lodge, and cabins were completed. Water was pumped from a hand-pumped well, and electricity arrived in the late 1930s. The camp closed in 1945 due to World War II counselor shortages but reopened in 1948 with new facilities and an expanded Board of Trustees.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Camp Daggett continued to grow, adding new cabins and infrastructure. In 1954, Walter J. MacMillan retired, succeeded by leaders like Will Splan, Margaret Johnson, and Bob Woodruff, who oversaw further expansion and the transition to co-ed staffing and sessions in the early 1970s. From 1975 to 1976 the
camp saw significant upgrades, strategic planning, and the introduction of year-round camping and outdoor education programs.
From 1976 to 1990, Camp Daggett added camper cabins and modern facilities like the Mort Neff Center and Mac Hall, expanding programming to include outdoor education. The early 1990s brought leadership transitions, organizational restructuring, and major
infrastructure projects, including the Adventure Center and Maintenance Building, marking a new era of growth. From 2007 to 2012, strategic planning and significant infrastructure upgrades continued, with the Adventure Center and Maintenance Building demonstrating the camp's commitment to excellence.
Modernization efforts from 2005 to 2012 included new leadership roles, infrastructure updates, and fundraising initiatives. Since 2012, Camp Daggett has focused on program development and community engagement, remaining a beacon of outdoor education and youth development. The camp's mission, integral to every activity, is to provide quality character-building experiences through educational and recreational programs in a safe, fun environment, emphasizing youth while serving all ages and living out their Motto, “The Other Fellow First.”
