By 1946 plans were underway for a new camp. Land was found in Holden and on September 21 it was voted to purchase this site. The eight defense bonds were sold and the proceeds applied towards the purchase of the property. After twenty three years of committees, investigations, discussion — sometimes heated — and votes, the Worcester Section at last had a local home. October saw the first work party, and 1947, 1948 and 1949 were years when most concentrated all efforts towards getting the local camp building in shap to be used. Camp Cobb was used till the five year option ran out. Everything was moved to the new Camp on April 23, 1948. Late that year an annex was added and was first used on New Years Day. The hard work of men and the efforts of the women in raising most of the money made the project a success. $664.16 was raised by “rummage sales, bean supper, sale and auction, food sales, sale of Knobby Kraft jewerly, collection of guest fees and the like.” [HIstory of Worcester Section, Green Mountain Club]
The Worcester Section now has three camps, Willis Ross, Camp Cobb, and now this one. It is located in the rear of the home of Herbert M. Dockham, Holden, Mass. Dock has always wanted a back-yard camp, and now he has it. Nestled in the woodland beyond his garden he has built an open front shelter large enough for forty people to sit down to a meal at the portable tables. He has affixed a green pine-tree shaped sign with white letters which reads GMC Worcester Section Camp 3/D. Knowing how hard it is for a hungry person to wait his turn to grill a steak, Dock has built a fireplace about 12 feet long with three separate sections. so that a dozen people may cook at the same time. As he had just about given up his search for enough grates, a group of GMC’ers cropped in for a cook-out supper and brought along gates for two openings as a birthday gift. His special, joy is the “Deacon Seat” lined up on one side of the approach facing the fireplace. Unlike the LT shelters, Camp 3/D sports electric lights and has a large overhead light outside. [LT News, Aug. 1946]
The Worcester Section is developing another camp. This camp is located in Holden, Mass. It has a long-term mortgage of $900. Joseph H. Frappier for the Trustees reported that quite a bit of work had been done at the camp: cleaning up around the grounds, drying out the cellar, cleaning out the bar, installing a new pump at the well, etc. We regretfully leave Camp Cobb no later than May 1 next year, at which time it is hoped that enough interest will have been aroused to build an addition to the camp in which to hold our activities in comfort. [LT News, Feb. 1948]
The section feted their past presidents at camp one Sunday in April. 75 members past and present gathered to honor the leaders of the Club. A social hour and hike preceded a covered-dish supper after which movies of club activities were shown. Each president who attended gave one or two highlights of his reign. Inside the camp there is a border of small wooden pine trees around the top of the walls. A tree for every year with the president’s name inscribed upon it [LT News, Aug. 1953]
A harvest supper and business meeting was held at Camp Clarke in Holden, where a Hallowe’en party was also enjoyed. A climb up Mt. Wachusett was taken in November and a hike and chowder supper at Camp Clarke in December. The Christmas party, the annual meeting and election of officers and the incorporation of the Worcester section brought theyear’s activities to a close.
Worcester started right out again on New Year’s Day with a supper, prepared and served by the men (they did the dishes too) at Camp Clarke. Two more outings are scheduled for January, one to the “Ark” at Jaffrey, N. H. for a winter sports weekend and a local hike and supper in Shrewsbury. The new outing chairman and his committee are hard at work on the six months schedule but it was not completed enough to report on at this time. [LT News Feb 1956]
been quite the same since. [HIstory of Worcester Section, Green Mountain Club]
August 10, 1956, camp destroyed by fire. Damages estimated at $4,000. The building contained a kitchen and large meeting room. [LT News. Nov. 1956]
July 14, 1955 the present By-Laws were adopted and on December 3, 1955 the Section was incorporated as the Green Mountain Club, Worcester Section, Inc. The New Camp named Camp Clarke in 1954 in honor of Pearle. By the end of 1955 the mortgage had been reduced from $900 to $400. The Camp Comittee report told of some remain projects and suggested the care and consideration the had for the camp. In the night on August 10, 1956 Camp Clarke burned to the ground. The Section has never
