The Harvard Press Covers CGE’s 100th
Published in The Harvard Press August 29, 2025
Camp Green Eyrie’s 100th anniversary celebrates the magic and memories of camping
by Carlene Phillips · Friday, August 29, 2025
On Aug. 23 and 24, Girl Scout Camp Green Eyrie celebrated its 100th anniversary on Bare Hill Pond. Registration was full early in August, for 210 day visitors and 150 overnight guests. On Saturday, former and current Girl Scout leaders, counselors, and campers of all ages enjoyed a full slate of activities, recapturing the spirit, magic, and memories of Camp Green Eyrie throughout the years.
There was a flag ceremony, boating on the pond, archery, classic arts and crafts, lawn games, camp tours, friend meetups, and a campfire sing-along. “Miss Greene,” the camp’s first director, appeared after 100 years to talk about the camp’s early days, and a display of photos, documents, and artifacts provided a tour through history.
Jessica Stone, a Girl Scout leader and mother of two current campers, wrote of the day: “The 100th celebration was steeped in Girl Scout traditions . . . but most of all I truly enjoyed not only seeing many of the counselors and staff who have played pivotal roles in making Camp Green Eyrie my children’s ‘home away from home’ over the last 10 years, but also meeting campers and staff from different decades going all the way back to the 1940s—and hearing their memories about this special place!”
Opening ceremonies began with a welcome by Girl Scouts of Central and Western Mass. CEO Theresa Lynn. State Sen. James Eldridge spoke about the importance of camping and said he was happy to be part of celebrating the 100th anniversary of Camp Green Eyrie. Town Administrator Dan Nason and Select Board Chair Kara Minar also offered congratulations and said how much a part of the town the camp has always been. Assistant Town Administrator, Dawn Dunbar, read an official proclamation declaring the day “Camp Green Eyrie Day.”
Before the weekend celebration, Dana Carnegie, communications director, Girl Scouts of Central and Western Mass., had written to the Press: “ At Camp Green Eyrie, girls can unplug, challenge themselves, and discover who they are in a truly girl-led environment. Whether it’s standing up on a paddle board for the first time, righting a capsized kayak, honing their aim at the archery range, or mastering the art of throwing a hatchet, they’re gaining skills, confidence, and friendships that never fade.”
Camp history
An article at the Harvard Historical Society gives one account of the history of the camp. A few years after the founding of the Worcester Girl Scout Council, the importance of camping in the Girl Scout program prompted a fund drive for the establishment of a resident summer camp. In March 1925, the council found 16 acres of land bordering Bare Hill Pond in Harvard. Over time, the acreage was expanded to 52.
The camp was named Green Eyrie, and an article in the July 6, 1927, Worcester Telegram & Gazette gives one explanation. “The highest honor to which a Girl Scout aspires is the golden Eaglet, and so it has come about that the rocky ledge which shelters the camp has given the camp its name of Green Eyrie—‘green’ because of the 16 acres of woodland which the camp embraces, ‘eyrie’ meaning an eagle’s nest.”
The camp’s first director was M. Frances Greene, the executive director of Worcester Girl Scouts. During the Depression years of 1925 to 1934, the camp was open to 40 campers, and the fee was $8 a week, with a session consisting of two weeks. The Scouts had a full program of camping skills and waterfront activities. A disruption to the camp occurred with the New England hurricane of 1938. One entire unit was demolished; part of the roof of the main camp house was ripped off; and so many trees were downed that the road to the camp was impassable.
In 1942, the governor declared, “Camp is the best place for boys and girls, and this summer, it is the safest place.” The Scouts planted a Victory Garden at Camp Green Eyrie to supplement the food rationing of the war years. It produced more than 50 bushels of fresh vegetables for the girls at camp, and at the end of the season, remaining produce was sold to parents. In further support, the campers assisted the salvage efforts of the town by flattening tin cans and cardboard boxes and saving 53 pounds of fat from their cooking fires.
A tornado hit Worcester in June of 1953, and Camp Green Eyrie became a haven for 50 girls whose families were victims of the disaster. A camp staff quickly assembled and Girl Scout volunteers from Worcester and Harvard took care of the girls.
The boom years
The Montachusett Girl Scout Council was formed in 1962, and Green Eyrie became one of three resident camps.The demand for resident camps was booming in the 1960s and ’70s, and Green Eyrie accepted campers on a first-come, first-served basis. Girls could register for only one session. Each girl was encouraged to pursue her special interests, and there was a broad range of activities from which to choose.
According to the article, in the early ’80s, it became clear that Camp Green Eyrie was suffering from overuse, and the programs were cut back. It became mostly a staging area for Cadettes and Senior Scouts preparing for canoe and backpacking trips. Camp Green Eyrie seemed to be heading for a complete phase out.
Revival came in the form of a generous gift from Frederick Dillon of Harvard. The gift inspired community engagement and volunteer help. After closing for a year of renovation, 1984 marked a joyous reopening of Camp Green Eyrie, with a full program of activities for Scouts of all ages.
A camper’s recollections
A former camper, Pat Natoli, Harvard’s administrative assistant to the police and ambulance departments, attended Camp Green Eyrie in 1967 and ’68 and said, “That’s when I fell in love with Harvard.” She talked about the beautiful spot on the pond and how the camp had such a hometown feeling. She recalled that the Girl Scouts always marched in the town’s Fourth of July parade and said the camp has always been part of Harvard. “You’re a Girl Scout forever. The basic skills and values you learn and the friends you make stay with you.” she said. She’s happy scouting is still available, and that it hasn’t changed. But she wishes more kids would take advantage of being outside and learning life skills and the importance of social interactions that camp offers.
September 02, 2025
