Sherwood Forest Camp can be proud of the positive effect it has had on the lives of countless young men and women from the Greater St. Louis community in the areas of recreation, camping, and leadership training.

The organization was begun in 1918 by a group of dedicated citizens who founded the Park and Playground Association of St. Louis to promote an understanding of the need to extend and to support adequate public parks, playgrounds, play fields and play centers. Starting as a voluntary organization, the Association continued to operate a volunteer recreation program until 1927 when the first paid executive director, Alfred H. Wyman, came to St. Louis.

The Great Depression was responsible for a semi-dormant period in the organization’s efforts, though, from 1934 - 1937. Through the efforts of Al Wyman and the Social Planning Council of the Community Chest in cooperation with the National Park Service, funds were obtained from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) for the purpose of designing and building several camps located throughout Missouri. Among them was the first decentralized camp in the Mid-West, its design based on the belief that the camp experience could be enhanced by dividing campers into small living groups. The National Park Service selected the Park and Playground Association to operate and lease the camp on an annual basis.

In 1937, with only a volunteer staff and financial assistance for food from the United Charities, Sherwood Forest Camp opened to conduct a camping experience for 600 underprivileged boys and girls, aged 12-16, who were referred by social service and group work agencies in St. Louis city and county.

Gradually the Park and Playground Association regained momentum, performing the dual functions of the operation of Sherwood Forest Camp and the continuance of its prior activity in the municipal recreation field. A 1949 study of the Park and Playground Association by the Social Planning Council concluded that the operation of Sherwood Forest Camp’s summer program, related school and family camping, the exercise of community leadership in the field of camping and the conduct of counselor training courses should constitute the basic program of the Park and Playground Association. Thus, the municipal recreation planning activity in which the Association had previously engaged was phased out. The Association changed its name to Sherwood Forest Camping Service, Inc. in 1954, and in the late 1970s, this was shortened to the present day, Sherwood Forest Camp, Inc.

The Association continuously operated its summer camp in the Cuivre River State Park until 1978. At that time, due to the organization’s inability to fully utilize the camping facilities of a state operated park, and lacking control over its maintenance and upkeep, the Board of Directors authorized the purchase of 487 acres of Ozark forest land formerly known as the Wiggins Ozark Camp. The cost, including renovation and improvements, was nearly $500,000. This is the present site of Sherwood Forest Camp.



Much of the above information was compiled by Annabeth Brandle and G.A. “Gus” Buder with an update by Mary Rogers for the Golden Anniversary celebration of the camp in 1987.