Camp Cachalot Alumni Association Forums

Dennis Wilkinson

I went out to Cachalot today to visit with the Campmaster, and took the back roads out from Freetown. This meant driving by what used to be Camp Ho-Ro-Hi off Mary's Pond Road in Rochester. Camp Ho-Ro-Hi was, if I'm remembering correctly, Troop 31's "personal" camp site, complete with a building that was (again, hopefully I'm remembering this correctly) dedicated to the memory of Cal Daggett, a Scouter whose wife once worked the front desk at the Moby Dick Council Office. I don't think that the property is still used that way, and don't really know much more about it other than that I once stayed there at the midpoint of a hike from New Bedford to Cachalot, sometime around 1982.

This got me thinking a bit--my own Troop had a a "personal" camp, too, as did the troops of several friends in Scouting.

Back in the mid-1980's, we (Troop 46) used to camp at what we called "Camp Kelleher", which was a property in Fairhaven owned by Dr, Robert Kelleher, a local surgeon. We always hiked there from the Boys Club in New Bedford, and cooking was always over an open fire, no stoves allowed. Doctor Kelleher would even join us for a campfire every once in a while. We stopped camping there at about the same time my Troop left the Boys Club, although the two weren't related, so I'm not really sure why we stopped.

Am I remembering Camp Ho-Ro-Hi correctly? Do any other 46er's remember more detail on Camp Kelleher (when we started, how we got access, etc.)? Did your troop have a similar camp, or do you know one that did?

I think that this clearing is basically where Ho-Ro-Hi was (zoom out a little to get some perspective on where this is), and I think that this area just south of Berkley Drive in Fairhaven is about where Camp Kelleher was.
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Dennis
Minister of Propaganda, Webmaestro, and Chief Bottle Washer

"Everything that passes unattempted is impossible." - Stephen R. Donaldson

Tom Bednarz · Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject:

In the early 80's, Troop 27 would camp at a property on Blossom Road in Wesport. I forget the name of the gentleman who owned it - Big Al would probably remember. The unit would be dropped off at the front access road, and we would walk in most of the gear (although I think the patrol boxes were brought in on a truck).

In addition to weekend camping trips, we'd also have troop and patrol meetings over there in the summer.

Dave G · Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:33 am Post subject:

I think I went to a lumberjack camporee at the place near mary's pond. If my hazy memory is correct...
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Tom Whelan · Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:28 am Post subject: Camp Kelleher

I remember Camp Kelleher fondly. We only went there a few times, but it was always an adventure. We couldn't camp there after too much rain because it was pretty much a swamp which I think contributed to why the troop stopped going there.

I think I remember that the camp was adjacent to a bird sanctuary and I enjoyed counting the number of species I could see at any one time.
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Tom Whelan
Pack 96 Webelos Leader
Troop 10364 Girl Scout Brownie Leader

Sahasrahla · Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:36 pm Post subject: Camp Gurney

A friend of mine who was with Troop 64 in East Freetown brought me out to some town-owned conservation land off Gurney Road a few years ago and said the troop had camped there when he was a member in the mid-to-late 90s. He said it was called Camp Gurney, and had been given to the town to be used (in whole or in part) by Scouts. There were remnants of a parking area and campsites, including some small fire pits. He'd know a bit more about it than I do. I'll see if I can get some more info on it.
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Mike

rockfall13 · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject:

When I first started camping with Troop 15, we went almost exclusively to a campsite way in the back of the Saint Vincent de Paul camp property in Tiverton/Westport (I can never remember where the town line is). There was a huge firepit, several patrol sites, many pioneering projects (including a wigwam at one point- I think that's the correct term for a bent bough and brush shelter)). We used to take some hikes from there to a sandpit further behind the property, and would burn the orange crates from their summer camp for firewood. I remember a time when they actually had several ponies in the pen behind the chapel building.
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May the Spirit of Scouting rest with us,
May the blessing of God remain with us,
To each of us the message true,
Scouting will stand or fall by you.

- From The Gilwell Camp Fire Book

Dennis I. Greene · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:24 pm Post subject: Troop 8 Camp Faber

During the late 50's Troop 8 used to hike from Buttonwood Park to a place called Camp Faber out on Chase Road in Dartmouth. It had several open fields surrounded by woods and a cabin with a big cast iron wood burning stove. I believe other troops used this camp as well. I think it was part of a large tract of land owned by an old master carpenter named Mr. (?) Faber, who I think died when he rolled his jeep while driving at the age of 88. That's probably more than you wanted to know.

Dennis Wilkinson · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:29 pm Post subject:

BrianB · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:54 am Post subject: "Personal Camps"

In the mid 1980s several people from Troop 3 (I believe) joined Troop 24 in NB. This group included Ed Dutra, Scott Alexander, Gerald Randal, Mike Clapp and Kevin Viven, among others. Troop 3 and with the new scouts and scouters we (Troop 24) also got Camp Arrowhead on the west end of Lake St. in Achushnet.

Arrowhead was a great camp. While I never knew the actual size, it was large enough for us to feel like we were out in the woods and to insulate the neighbors from us. We had several camp sites and a cool little "council ring" and a great CABIN!

One wall of the cabin was lined with bunkbeds. A long set of tables were at the foot of the beds. The opposite wall was decorated with snake skins and such and a large poster of an indian chief. The south end of the cabin had a couple of leaders bunks and a kerosine stove surrounded by mis-matched arm chairs and the obligatory rope spool coffe table. Large windows offered a near panoramic view including part of the Lake St. lakes.

Some months we would be at Arrowhead 3 weekends out of four. It was a great place!

The poperty looked after my Herbie Devaney and his family. They were great people. The owner lived in Florida. He eventually decided to sell it. Today there is a group of homogenous Mc Masions there. All with perfect lawns.

jdk042900 · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:09 pm Post subject: Lumberjack

I think Dave is right, I think I also went to a lumberjack camporee there.

Dennis Wilkinson · Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 2:00 pm Post subject: Ho-Ro-Hi still there?

Chatting with Peter Ashworth not long ago, he mentioned that he thought that Ho-Ro-Hi might still be in use, and that I just missed it when I was checking the maps out because of a new-ish cranberry bog that's between the property and Mary's Pond Road now.

Might this cabin on the shore of Leonards Pond be Ho-Ro-Hi?

And, of course, there's also the site at Snipatuit Pond owned by the Fairhaven Unitarian Church where Troop 55 used to camp, which I think is here. I'd been to a few camporees there, but it's been well over a decade, so I might not have the spot just right.
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Dennis
Minister of Propaganda, Webmaestro, and Chief Bottle Washer

"Everything that passes unattempted is impossible." - Stephen R. Donaldson