Turning into the driveway of the serene, tree-lined 1,100 acre property, one might not guess the humble beginnings of Camp Allen...
It all started with one innovative idea, two determined individuals, 36 campers, a handful of tents, and a sky full of stars. In the early 1900s, Rt. Rev. Clinton S. Quin, the Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, shared a dream with prominent Houstonian and devout Christian Rosa Lum Allen: to create a place for young people in parishes to go deeper in their faith. Rosa so heartily agreed with his sentiment that she opened up her family’s estate on Galveston Bay as a trial location for this brand new idea of a summer camp. Hence, in the summer of 1921 in a backyard near Sylvan Beach, Camp Allen became the first summer camp of the Episcopal Church. (The original Camp Allen property is visible today from Bayshore Drive in La Porte, Texas, and the railroad car that campers rode to camp has been preserved at the Sylvan Beach Depot Museum.)
Those first few summers on Galveston Bay were sweet and simple. Staff members were chosen by Bishop Quin himself, several of which became priests who would be leaders in the Diocese for many years to come. Campers lodged in Rosa's spacious home, and participated in group activities like fishing and hiking. However, popularity grew so much that only a few years later it became clear that Camp Allen had outgrown Rosa’s estate. Continuing in her generosity, she gifted Camp Allen with a plot of land 7 miles from Goose Creek at the head of Trinity Bay. This second location was ideal for a summer camp. With 14 acres of green pastures with a bay frontage of 600 feet and a 30-foot bluff, the activities were limitless. Even traveling to Camp Allen was exciting: because the roads to Trinity Bay were impassible by car, campers journeyed to camp via the “Ethel B,” a ship that traveled down the Houston ship channel to Camp’s pier.
In the 1930s, with the constant blooming of the summer camp ministry, Camp Allen had a platform to offer even more to its community. Development began at Trinity Bay to make the site ideal for hosting not just campers, but anyone for retreats, conferences, and meetings. It was then that the Clergy Conference began to meet at Camp Allen, which still meets annually to this day. Meanwhile, summer camp continued to flourish, hosting more and more children each summer.
In the 1950s Camp Allen continued to grow. Facilities expanded and summer camp became more and more innovative. Campers came from all around Texas to experience folk dancing, crafts, masquerade parties, treasure hunts, drama, singing, crabbing, baseball, archery, tennis, and swimming. They woke up to Morning Prayer and celebrated with Canteen every Thursday night, a tradition still held at summer camp today. At this time, the registration fee for 2 weeks at camp was only $30.
In 1968 Trinity Bay was sold to find a space that would better fit the needs of Camp Allen’s rapid growth, which brings us to the Piney woods! In 1968, 700 acres were purchased in Navasota, Texas, and in 1972 construction began. Camp Allen's first two campsites hosted summer camp in 1974, and the conference center and rectory were erected in 1975. By 1976, Camp Allen's numbers had risen to 800 campers each summer. Campsite 3 was finished in 1984,complete with an altar assembled of stones gathered from the Shrine at Rosa's estate and from the Trinity Bay location. Campsite 3 also houses a beautiful cross hand-carved by the Rev. John Price. Plans for more expansion were soon developed and implemented under the leadership of Rt. Rev. Claude Payne and the direction of Camp Allen Rector, the Rev. David Thames. By 2000, Camp Allen had welcomed more hotel lodging, the equestrian center, 76 acre Lake Coffield, the lakeside cabins, ropes courses, and All Saints' Chapel. Campers enjoyed the newly instated "Blob," while Discovery students climbed to new heights on the ropes course. Recent additions include a Discovery Center for outdoor education, summer camp staff housing, a new playground and high ropes course, a camper health center, and renovations to the camp roads, hotel, and pavilion.
Over the past 20 years, Camp Allen has worked hard to reach more people, enhance the visitor experience, and strengthen the organization’s financial position. The camp's successful growth led to an increased need for capacity. In 1921, Camp Allen completed the Centennial Fund, a campaign focused on increasing capacity and improving operations with 21 projects around the campus, including Campsite 4 and the Bishop Doyle Center.
Camp Allen has traversed over 150 miles and 100 years to reach where it is today. With a journey from 10 to 1,100 acres, 1 to 100 full time employees, and receiving gifted land to operating on a 7.9 million dollar budget, the Camp Allen family is most proud and thankful for the lives transformed by God because of the ministry of this special place.