Camp Occoneechee

Me, outside the Juniors' cabin. I look so small and vulnerable--that was my first reaction upon seeing this picture again.
That's Lake Mystic in the background. The T-shirt I'm wearing is a shirt from the Union County Special Olympics, the division in which Eric competed--and won, again and again.
My camp was the set for Dirty Dancing. I do believe this cabin was used as Johnny Castle's cabin...which means there was sex in the Champagne Room--I mean, the Junior GS' cabin.

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Comments

howell_laura says:

Carla - My friends and I ran across your photos on a google search...we are all Occoneechee alumni.. I spent 14 summers there as a camper, counselor, CIT director, and assistant director. We are DYING to hear more about this cabin - its not there anymore! I started going to camp in 1987..what year is this photo from? We are wondering if it is the old Cherokee, which a tree fell on in the early 90s. Occoneechee is still alive and well..there is tons of development in Lake Lure and the part of the camp on highway 9 was sold three years ago and is now a giant grocery store. There are condos across the street! But still, when you go around the road into camp, its just camp! If you remember the Wakatomika shelter, it misteriously burned down last weekend.

I would love to hear more! My email is howell_laura@yahoo.com.

What happy memories!
Laura
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

Carla216 says:

Hi, Laura! I tentatively dated this picture at 1981--I'm 34 now, and I was a GS for 5 years: 3 Brownie, 2 Junior.

I can't believe some cabins, etc. are gone. :( I have more pictures--I'll upload them ASAP.

That is, to the best of my memory, the Cherokee cabin--wasn't it for young Juniors?

I'll enhance this photo as best I can, to boot.

(also sent via email)
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

jipseeme says:

I CANNOT BELIEVE what I am looking at!!!! I, too am 34 and spent 11 summers at Occoneechee...camper all the way through CIT I and II and Junior counselor and then...ta da!!!... counselor!!! (1990) I don't remember this cabin, either, but it definitely looks like Occoneechee...I have more pictures, too, if you are interested...I wish we could have lived there FOREVER!!!!
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

Carla216 says:

Oh, PLEASE, post your pictures! I'm scanning in more today myself. Hooray!
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

Morganimous says:

Looking at this picture and reading the comment from jipseeme, I have to think we were at Occoneechee at the same time. I was there from 4th grade until the summer before college as a counselor. And that was 1989! Every June I get a little melancholy. :)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Carla216 says:

Wow! That's very cool. Hi, camper. :)
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

mizzdwaynecarter says:

omg camp occoneechee changed a lot.i was just in da cabin ocon dis year (oconaluftee)
junior cabin??? no such thing
at least not nemore
but their closing dat camp down : (
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

horsesgirl2008 says:

WOW, I spent my first trip away from home at Camp Occoneehee, back in stone age, I am 52 years young. What an experience! I learned so much about life there.I was one of two girls of color there at that time need less to say, I came back ten shades darker..the girls picked at me because I did not wear a bra. To this day I have a deep love for horses. I ride, train and compete. Life is good. Go GIrl Scouts.
Deborah MAyfield
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

NyLeeNaD says:

Hey there, just wanted to let you know we used this image for 'How to Choose a Summer Camp' article on Mahalo.com.

www.mahalo.com/How_to_Choose_a_Summer_Camp

Thanks
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

morganplex says:

I went to camp here too, and to Lurecrest just up the lake.
Is this camp still around?
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

aiceyacs says:

Ladies, I sat & cried tonight when I found out that the 2008 Summer was the last year for Camp Occoneechee. I live in Mississipi now due to the military & I had watched Dirty Dancing on tv tonight & of course remembered the stories of Patrick Swazye & Jennifer Grey practising in our Mystic Lake & in the Old two story lodge that used to sit behind Mystic Lake ( that used to sit right as you entered the camp, just over the stone bridge drive way torn down in 1989-1990 looks like most of us posting were there abou tthe same time!!) So I started looking up the relivance & was trying to see if at any time did anyone reference Camp Occonneechee to Dirty Dancing. I came across a news article about Hornets Nest selling Camp Catawba & the last line of the article stated that they were selling Occonneechee too. So I got on the Hornets Nest website & called my mom, still in NC, at the same time. I have tried countless ways to figure out what has happened to the camp & can't find anything online. You can still call the phone number but it just rings. I will be going back to NC come warmer weather just to go & find the camp to find out what has happened to it. My heart has had a huge chunk ripped out of it. I have an 8 yr old daughter who went to a GS camp here last year & the camp was awful. So run down & I even bragged to them about Occoneechee, not knowing at the time that our wonderful summer haven was no more. I even said that I was going to try & send her for a summer in NC with my parents just so she could go to Occoneechee. That WAS supposed to be this upcoming summer (2010) My mom told me that Hornets Nest was even closing down & combining with another district. What has happened??? Why did they do this??? The awful part is this. I used to go with my mom to Sky. We were High Ropes instructors. She was for YEARS (Peanut- my mom, Yogi- Fred Sinz, Herron- Jessie Getlif (think thats her name not sure on spelling though), and Sweetpea--me) So there were a few years that I went with her to Sky & other older scout weekend events while my husband was out of the country on deployments. The last time I went (about 9 years ago WOW!! Has it been that long??) I had a heart sickening feeling as I walked through the camp on the last day that it would be my last time to be there. I was all alone & video taped walking down the big hill from Merry Mill towards the field & Mystic lake, stopped & stated on the video that I knew it would be my last time here. I later showed that to my husband but felt kind of "dumb" for thinking that & after a year of holding onto it, I erased it off of our computer. I wish I still had that video clip. I miss Occoneechee, the memories & wish I could have done more there. Was praying one day to return to work there & walk the grounds once again, sing "Occoneechee Here We Come" as we rounded the corner into camp, to sing "Day is Done", "Mmm Mmm I wanna Linger" & "Babies Boats" on the last night & take my daughter on the magical tour of Tarabithia. Now it will never happen.
Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

aiceyacs says:

Carla, I was looking at your picture and of course seeing Mystic Lake through the trees makes me think you were maybe in Wahi when that photo was taken. But then I noticed what the Cabin said and you were in Apachee!! Which if you remember was right by Wahi and both looked over Mystic Lake.
Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

aiceyacs says:

Other Ropes instructor that I originally couldn't remember was Jessie Getliff (Herron) I did make the changes above. I am not sure if thats how you spell her name though.

Thank you
Angela ~Aicey~
Posted 5 weeks ago. ( permalink )

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Camp Occoneechee

Comments

howell_laura says:

Carla216 says:

jipseeme says:

Carla216 says:

Morganimous says:

Carla216 says:

mizzdwaynecarter says:

horsesgirl2008 says:

NyLeeNaD says:

morganplex says:

aiceyacs says:

aiceyacs says:

aiceyacs says:

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