By Troika Brodsky
While the memories of you may indeed live all year through, there’s something uniquely powerful and fascinating about seeing actual archival video and film from Camp Nebagamon years past. Watching the video and slideshow from last summer at your local winter reunion is one thing, but immersing yourself in decades of archival footage from Camp Nebagamon is an entirely different experience.
I grew up hearing larger-than-life tales of Muggs Lorber, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2002 that I truly experienced his presence. While creating a video for a special council fire to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday, Sally Stein graciously shared old converted films, scrapbooks, and audio interviews she had recorded with her father. These treasured materials allowed me to know Muggs in a way that would have otherwise been impossible, and I am forever grateful for that opportunity.
Around the same time, I got my hands on VHS tapes containing hours of converted 8mm and 16mm film footage from Camp Nebagamon’s history. My mind was blown watching this footage for the first time, and even today, I am still gobsmacked revisiting it. This footage captured legendary moments: horseback riding on what is now The Range, children log rolling in the lake, boxing matches(!), the Boathouse in its prime, the original “Vomit Comet” transporting campers from Ely for canoe trips, morning calisthenics on the beach, familiar cabins with different names and locations, and an unobstructed view of the lake from the Council Fire ring before the trees grew tall. Everything was different, yet still recognizable as the place I know and love.
Recently, I was once again bowled over by old camp video, but for more personal reasons. I found a promotional video from 1998 that included interviews with staff and campers exclusively from that summer. The summer of 1998 was my fourth year on staff, and I was a Specialist in the craft shop. While I have incredibly positive memories of that summer, they aren’t all crystal clear. Summers can blend together for many of us who spend multiple years at Nebagamon. Watching this twelve-minute video brought memories of that summer flooding back and gave me a vivid sense-memory of the person I was in 1998. It was a powerful, transportative experience, unlike simply flipping through old photo albums, and I couldn’t wait to share that feeling with others.
While there’s still a long way to go to make all of Camp Nebagamon’s almost 100 years of archival video material easily accessible, I’m thrilled to share what we’ve already begun to catalog and upload to the Camp Nebagamon Vimeo account. Currently available are several summer-specific promotional videos and slideshows (including a gem from 1994 featuring some pretty great royalty-free music), the 60th, 75th, and 90th anniversary reunion videos, a full Paul Bunyan Day MUSICAL council fire, a performance from the epic 2006 “Jopstock” concert on the Lower Diamond, and more. I encourage you to check this out and spend some time with it. Regardless of when you spent your summers at Camp Nebagamon, there is something here for everyone. As we march towards the 100th anniversary of our beloved institution, we will continue to work diligently to ensure our history is not only safeguarded but easily accessible to our community.
Keep The Fires Burning.
Visit the Camp Nebagamon Vimeo account to watch more videos: https://vimeo.com/campnebagamon
Email [email protected] for questions or comments regarding Camp Nebagamon alumni engagement.