The Worcester Section of the Green Mountain Club pursued a local camp for over two decades before achieving success. By 1946, plans were underway for a new facility, and the Section voted to purchase land in Holden, Massachusetts. Eight defense bonds were sold to fund the acquisition, and after years of committees, investigations, and discussion, the Worcester Section moved from their previous base, Camp Cobb, to the new camp on April 23, 1948.
The camp, initially designated "Camp 3/D," was constructed on property owned by Herbert M. Dockham in Holden. The open-front shelter could accommodate forty people for meals and featured a distinctive 12-foot fireplace with three separate cooking sections. The facility also included electric lights—an amenity uncommon in Green Mountain Club shelters of that era—and a "Deacon Seat" facing the hearth. An annex was added late in 1948 and first used on New Year’s Day 1949.
In 1954, the camp was officially named Camp Clarke in honor of Pearle Clarke. The Worcester Section continued to reduce its mortgage, lowering the outstanding debt from $900 in 1948 to $400 by the end of 1955. The Section incorporated as the Green Mountain Club, Worcester Section, Inc., on December 3, 1955. During its final years, Camp Clarke hosted the Section’s regular activities, including harvest suppers, business meetings, hikes, and holiday gatherings.
On the night of August 10, 1956, Camp Clarke burned to the ground. The fire destroyed the building, which housed a kitchen and large meeting room, with damages estimated at $4,000. The camp’s destruction marked the end of the Worcester Section’s eight-year tenure at the Holden facility.
Sources
- HIstory of Worcester Section, Green Mountain Club.
- "Long Trail News." , no. August (1946).
- "Long Trail News." , no. February (1948).
- "Long Trail News." , no. August (1953).
- "Long Trail News." , no. February (1956).
