Mooseheart Camp Ross
I cannot tell how the truth may be,
I say the tale as twas said to me.
Lay of the Last Minstrel, Sir Walter Scott.
Seven spring-fed brooks, their beds encountering additional springs as well as the run-off from fields which they drain, meat near the southern limits of Mout Morris township to form Pine Creek. This stream, named for the pines along its ridges, twists in a letter S for about a mile through the valley of Mooseheart Camp Ross, bordering by rugged palisades an alluvial low lands through two miles of farm fields, through Illinois White Pines state park, and on to its confluence with Rock River near Grand Detour.Most of the time, Pine Creek is a pleasant small river of varying depts, from being easily crossed from stone to stone where small rapids impede its descent, to quiet areas deep enough for lazy fishing or an occasional tradegy in the past where used as a "swimming hole". At other times of heavy rains and cloudbursts, the mild stream may become a torrent filling its valleys and bringing destruction to bridges, its own banks and to riprap and man made innovations in its path, and peril or drowning to unwary campers. For this reason the camp has avoided building anything of a permanent nature in its valley.Fortunately, the ridges around which the stream twists are high and admirably adapted for building, for quick drainage in wet weather and for the peranenet operations of the camp.
It was 1849 that Hitt and Coffman, two of the pioneer colonists from Washington County, Maryland who took out so many early claims in Ogle County, built a grist mill on Pine Creek in what is now the camp area. Their claim was designed to contain the water rights along Pine Creek so its boundaries too were a twisting letter S fitting called a "Surveyors' Nightmare". To power the mill, they built a dam of rock quarried from the limestone hill in its immediate vicinity, and constructed it as a double rock wall, filled with earth to make a solid road across which horses and wagons could drive with their loads of grain. The impounded water backed up to form lakes on either side of the ridge around which it curved, where now the camper's cabins, the director's cabin and the mess and recreation lodge are located, and was directed through a sluice near the dam, dug through the rock to the water wheel where it fell into a series of buckets which turned the wheel. This sluice may still be seen as a ditch hewn through the rock and at one point may be found a fragment of masonry where a gate could shut off the water and divert it down to a bend of the creek. The overflow from the mill poind flowed around the big rock ledge near where the camp fires are now held, to revert to the original bed. Blow up photos of the dam and scenes along the mill pond are in the Ross cabin by the dam, made from original ones owned by Miss Lulu Middour, a descendent of one of the pioneer families.
The dam, constructed as it was, suffered several catastrophies. It was most alluring to muskrats who burrowed into it and weakened it so that spring flash floods burst through and carried huge stones from the walls hundreds of feed down the valley. It was repaired time and time again and under various owners and management, the mill operated as a very busy place for many years. One lady recounted her visits there during the period 1880-1887; another remembered driving with her father and a load of grain when she was a child, probably during the same period, and the Ogle County atlas of 1872, carries a charcoal drawing, doubtless somewhat idealized, of the mill under full poperation with farm wagons, horses and buggies, hunters, cattle, dogs and ducks all in action. A copy of the drawing is also in the Ross cabin.
However, another problem was arising. The increasing agriculture in its watershed area was causing more and more erosion into Pine Creek and the mill pond was silting up. Eventually came one of those conincidental fires which destroued the fram superstructure of the mill about the time of a break-through in the dam and the mill poind emptied, the dam went unrepaired and the area became marginal farm land. A witness of this last beak, now a centenarian, told of seeing the first bubblings up in the roadway on the dam, his trying to plug them rocks and dirt, finally the water burst through , uncontrolled. His memory of the date was uncertain but the evidence is that it occurred in the late 80's or early 90's.
As marginal farm land, the area furnished a living to its owners for around fifty years. the lowland fields rejuvenated yearly by overflow that deposited layers of the best topsoil from farms upstream, where highly productive, one just down the steep hill west of the machinery shed, is reported to have raised corn for 34 years running without additional fertilization and good corn at that. Cattle pastured over the hills and an assortment of pig pens, poultry houses and vegetable gardens clothed the hillside across the creek where the famer had his house and barns. To reach the buildings, it was necessary either to ford the creek or to drive through the timeber hined the house, through adjacent property and over the Pine Creek bridge, a detour of at least a mile. A misdirected generosity permitted the removal of rock from the foundations of the old mill and the embankmanet behind it, and several stone walls in Mount Morris were constructed therefrom. The foundation itself became a catchall for junk including the hugh timeber that had been the axle of the waterwheel and the area along the creek degenrated into a dump for garbage and trash and the breeding place of enormous rats.
In spite of general deterioration, the old mill area and the grassy vale around it became a favorite picnic spot for a generation of Mount Morris youth. In the early 1900's they walked outthe two miles or more from the village, cutting across country, to hold High School class picnics and groups of their elders drove out with tier horse and buggy outfits. They forded the stream or crossed on stepping stone nearby, or took off shoes and stockings and waded. Automobiles later covered the distance more easily and it was at a family picnic in the mid 30's that Harold Ross stood on the remnant of the dam and said, "I would give ten years of my life to own this place!".
The increasing popularity of the White Pines State Park led the Rosses to hunt for a few country acres, possibly five, for a private picnic area. In 1937, to their joyful astonishment, they were informed the old mill property of about 75 acres was available to settle the estate and to enable the farmer to find a more profitable farm. As he put it, "Now I am young, I can work hard enough to make a living here, but when I am older it won't be possible". Negotiations began promptly and in November of that year, the Rosses held their first picnic on their newly acquired land, under an oak tree near where the archery targets now stand below the camper's cabins. It was a cold, blustery day, the menu was fried mush, sausages and coffee and the picnickers were well-bundled up. It might be noted that the former owner bought a good tillable farm near Polo; a few years later World War II involved the United States, farming had a boom and th transaction was a happy one for both parties.
The first business of the new owners was to clean up the area and make part of it available for their use which included considerable business entertaining as well as family recreation. The site of the Ross cabin by the dam was under a ten year lease to a Mount Morris group and was occupied by a ramshackle shack of oak slabs with bark, nailed to a crude frameworked lined with Celotex. This lease ha still three years to run. The original purchase did not include ten acres along the road where the main "forest" of pines now stands, so entrance to the camping area was by a circuitious lane with several gates to be opened and replaced. It was most fortunate that in 1939, this plot of ten acres could be purchased and added to the orginal 75, thus strahtening out one of the boundary line and eliminating a long line of fencing.
The "pavilion" at the point of the camping area, was formerly the loft of a barn across the creek. It was dismantled and moved to its present site the last week in March, 1939, to be used for a picnic shelter. Its construction is most interesting in that its beams are mortised and crosspieces held with wooden pegs. One would speculate it is probably 100 years old. A new shingle roof, screens and vanvasses for the walls and a gravel floor provided a comfortable setting for groups up to 40 and the prime beef steaks broiled on the primitive fireplace there over the course of years required the loins of a herd of cattle. the place was used by practically every civic and religious group in Mount Morris, by labor and by management, farmers and fraternal organizations, and also by the owners, frequently after they had mowed, pruned, repaired and cleaned up from the previous users.
Just how best to utilize the ten acre plot newly bought in 1939 was a problem. Orginally heavily-timbered it had been sold as wood lots, and every bit of timber cut off, then used as corn land. It was poor land for that purpose and minus any protective covering, had eroded down to coarse, gravelly soil, sending streams of mud into the creek with every rain tending to gulleying and raising very poor corn. The first thing was to sow it with timothy and clover to hold the soil, then occured the plan to reforest. A white pine was indigenous to the area, the land was laid out in furrows on the contour and a first planting of 10,000 pines was bought from the state forestry division. This planting comprised white pine and jack pines, each about the size of a meat skewer with a halo of needles around its top and a tail of root a foot or so long. Following instrctuions from the forester, they were planted six feet apart in the furrows. There were also about 3,000 hardwoods, oak, ash and wild cherry to provide food for birds. These trees, planted in 1941, include the pines planted along the east side fo the entrance lane going back to the camping area and the hardwoods south of them towards the Ross cabin. They are the oldest of the plantings. To them were added in later years 3,000 seedlings in 1942, 2,000 transplants in 1944 and later orders to fill gaps or extend planted sections. The jack pines are not too satisfactory but they did make nice Christmas trees when they reached a height of eight or ten feet and many were cut for that purpose. There is no tree more beautiful for a forest than the white pine and it is delightful to note that the camp is increasing the number by its plantings near the winter cabin. The solitary white pine that stands on the hill in front of the winter cabin, a most beautiful specimen, was planted there by Mrs. Mary Smice, a near-by resident on her 6th birthday in 1895, so its age can be figured quite accurately.
The group of three buildings by the dam stand in the quarry from which the materials for the dam were taken. The cabin previous referred to a schack under lease, was orginally the property of the local branch of the Ku KLUX KLAN. In fact, when the Rosses finally obtained possession and tore out the interior, they found above the ceiling, sheets with holds for eyes and notes of men and horses and cermonial spears and lances. there were also bats which flew in and out through crevices in the slabs. A stone mason was engaged to build the fireplace and chiney of native stone and he found it unnecessary to build a foundation. Standing in the rock quarry he needed only to scrape a few inches of soil to build a permament stone base. Interestingly enough, it was learned later than the same mason worked on the first building at Mooseheart and later contructed the the stone fireplace in the recreation and dinking cabin in the camp. Most of the reconstruction of the Ross cabin was done by Harold Ross, no carpenter, and it is not suprising that it took him about three years. A complete new interior went into the building, studdings, beams, flooring, ceiling, planeling of cedar. Different windows replaced the hoghouse ones, the oak slab exterior was stripped of its bark and the seams caulked and all given coats of log varnish. Flooring and shingling was done partly by groups of college friends who came out with the Ross boys from Northwestern University on weekends, combing houseparties with construction and completed by their host. The wagon wheel chandeliers were wheels found in a farmyard, stripped of coats of glue and yellow paint during winteres in thehome workshop, then wired by an electrician friend and fitted with shade from scrap copper. Electricity had been extended into the property to serve the house across creek and thus the cabin could now be equipped with electric light, range and refrigerator, all of which made entertaining there much easier and possible all the year round. Water still had to be hauled.
The framework over the barbecue pit near the cabin was brought from across the creek and was originally a smokehouse for meats. The screen sheltered nearby was built a few years ago at the behest of Mrs Ross with the assistance of Richard Bourdage and his group of Mooseheart weekenders. It was started on Labor Day with the idea it would be ready for use the following spring, but the group displayed such industry and enthusiasm that in October following, a chicken barbecue for the workers was held to celebrate its completion.
The portion of the old dam which still stands with its tiers fo quarried rock riing in steps is now the stadium from which the campers face the camp fire for sings, stunts nights and marshmallow roasts. The roughly hewn limestone blossons with the gay sweaters or costumes of the children or provides seating space for spectators when, as on one occasion, over eight hundred Boy Scouts, gues of the Moosheart troops, exemplified the pageantry of "The Order of the Arrow", their concentric circles filling the lowland expanse to form an aisle for the torch-bearers and tom-tom corps of the ceremonial group.
By 1957, some twenty years had passed since the Rosses so happily took possession of what had become some of the most beautiful acreage in Northern Illinois, acreage becoming scarcer every year from the recreational point of view. The seedling pines and hardwoods, cultivated with tender, lovng care by the members of the family, had grown within ninety-five percent survival into an impressive forest whose deep bed of needles and leafy mould precluded erosion or runoff. Wildlife of small mammals and birds was prevalent. Wild ducks again took harbor during winter in the never freezing riffles of the stream. Deer tracks were noted occasionally and during one picnic of families from Mooseheart, a deer wandered wonto drink at the ford. Every year brought natural changes as the trees grew taller, the stream in its spring freshets scoured new banks with its breaking ice floes. Als the Ross family changed. The Ross boys grew up, married and all settled in New England states in their adult professons. their father was increasingly occupied in activities which took him away from Munt Morris and he took his wife with him. How best to use or dispose of the Ross Farm property became a problem for it had been an integral part of the family for these twenty years and the consensus was that they would rather give it away than have someone obtian it at a bargain. It came as an inspiration one day that maybe the Loyal Order of Moose could use it in their program for the children at Mooseheart. Strong ties of friendship, business and fraternal feeling had long existed with the Order, particularly with Mooseheart, and it was hoped that the location, conventiently near the Child City, yet far enough away to give the atmosphere of an outing , might make it desirable for summer camping.
Negotiations were started with the Supreme Lodge and the final result was the conveyance of the property as a gift, in six parcels, one each year from 1956 through 1961, and its adaptation through the efforts of the Legon of the Moose, the Alumni Association of Mooseheart, and hte Supreme Lodge of the Order, into one of the most beautiful children's camps existing. Utilities including heavy wiring and the well which is approximately seven hundred feet deep, were put in by the Supreme Lodge, the combination mess and recreation hall was the gift of the
Alumni Association, and the further development was a project of the Legion of the Moose. At last there were flush toilets on Pine Creek! (I hasten to add here were also septic tanks and there is no pollution of the beautiful stream.)
The camp has increased in acreage and beauty through two accessions. The land for the impressive entrance was donated by Mrs Lilian Eager of Rockford, in accordance wiht the wish of her husband who died very suddenly after stating his desire to donate it. The Eagers lived for a short time at Spring Acres, "next door" to the camp. The site of the present "winter cabin", centered btween the camp property and the entrance gift, was owned by a member of the Mount Morris Moose Lodge of the Loyal Order of Moose, who sold it to the Order. A few additional acres were obtained along the west boundaries in clarifying the boundary line and engagating in a little swapping. Altogether the camp area is now about ninety-five acres.
While the initial construction work, cabins, well-house, mess-hall, director's cabin and washhouse, was done commerically because of the time element, recognition should be given to the hours put in by amatures from Moosheart and by journeymen members of the Moose who donated their time. The winter cabin, which has it own heat and wate rsupply was their work and Mr Ketz, Superintendent of Mooseheart, Richard Bourdage and his crew of older boys, and the sheet-metal classes put in many hours. They added the screened porch on the mess hall about 1963, and the suspension bridge, over 100 feet long, which crosses the creek near the reamins of the dam was another project.
The Camp Ross journey continues today. The vision of Harold Ross as he stoutly maintained that when God made the area of Mooseheart Camp Ross, He designed it for a children's camp under His special protection.
This information provided here are extracts of information researched, compiled and written by Dorothy (Mrs Harold D.) Ross, 1967. This information was provided to the website by Archie Burke, Moose Lodge 1551, Mt Morris IL