History

The 19th Century

The History of Conference Point Center begins in 1873 when a gentleman by the name of Reverend Joseph Collie purchased 10 acres of land on Geneva Lake. Reverend Collie was a graduate of Beloit College and a pastor at the Congregational Church in Delavan.

Rev. Collie, family and some of his associates built cottages for their summer stays. Many of the cottages were completed during the 1880's. Still standing today is Rev. Collie's home Villa, Lake Breeze, Lakeview, Bethel, Beach, Lookout, Sunrise, and Plaza (now Magill). Together the small community constructed a one room wooden Chapel, a small kitchen and dining room.

Due to public interest, Rev. Collie opened Camp Collie to everyone. He advertised rooms and boats to rent, milk, ice, excellent water, a laundry, stable for horses, cook stoves and wood. During these years Rev. Collie continued to buy tracts of land on Geneva Lake, and eventually owned 40 acres of prime lake frontage.

Religious groups were using Camp Collie by 1884, sleeping, meeting and eating in tents. The early travelers of Camp Collie and the Lake Geneva area would arrive by train and be steam boated to their destination. Camp Collie guests would be dropped off at The Point pier where they would register and climb the stairs to the camp.

During the week of August 6-12, 1886 a conference was held at Camp Collie which organized the formation of the National Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA).

A Camp Changes

After Collie's death in 1904, his sons continued to run the property. They envisioned the camp as a resort and started making changes. This was not a prosperous decision and the boys were soon in financial trouble.

For many years, Eleanor Camp, a woman's group, had been renting the west end of the Collie property for their retreats. They decided to purchase their own camp and inquired about the availability of the land they had been using. The Collie boys sold and the camp is now Wesley Woods.

During this time of financial difficulties, a man named Mr. E. H. Nichols was walking the lake shore path and stumbled upon Camp Collie Resort. Mr. Nichols was involved with the Cook County Sunday School Association. He spoke with the sons and found they were willing to sell most of the property.

Camp Collie was sold to Mr. Nichols in 1906. Mr. Nichols formed a corporation named The Lake Geneva Sunday School Association and in 1907 deeded the property to the corporation.

In addition to their Sunday School program, they invited others to participate. The International Sunday School Association sponsored their first organized training school for Sunday School leaders in 1907.

In 1908 the name of the property was changed from Camp Collie to Conference Point Camp.

The property was offered for sale to the ISSA in 1913. If the ISSA could come up with $44,000, the original corporation would donate their $29,000 interest to the ISSA The ISSA was not able to assume this responsibility, so the Association formed an independent corporation holding the legal responsibility and acting as trustees know as the International Training School for Sunday School Leaders. Mr. W. C. Pearce was named business manager.

On March 26, 1918, the Chalmers estate was bought, as well as the acreage still owned by the Collie sons bringing the total acreage to 30. Things were going well with the camp. Hundreds of young adults were visiting the camp each summer. The camp prospered beyond anyone's expectations.

In 1922 the ISSA merged with Sunday School Council of Evangelical Denominations to become the International Church of Religious Education.

On June 25, 1925, the Lake Geneva Safety (Red Cross) Patrol Service was formed at Conference Point Camp assisted by Mr. S. B. Chapin.

A Business Emerges

On August 29, 1932 the large desk in the Director's office was donated to Conference Point Camp by Mr. Pearce. The inscription on the plaque reads "The private desk of Benjamin Franklin Jacobs, upon which he conducted his Sunday School correspondence for so many years, presented to the International Training School Leaders at Conference Point by W. R. Pearce."

The National Council of Churches of Christ in America was formed in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1950s. ICRE and seven other national interdenominational organizations merged with this new organization. ICRE being the owner of Conference Point Camp, now was owned by the National Council of Churches.

During the next 30 years, buildings were destroyed, renovated or constructed. Camp managers came and went adding to the property in some way. Camp life remained the same.

We continue today as we did in 1873, to provide a center for religious education and mission conferences; for congregational, denominational, interdenominational and interfaith research and planning; for cooperative consultation and programming, primarily programs for the Christian mission in the Midwest.

Become part of the history.  Bring your organization to Conference Point Center and create the memories of a lifetime.

Nature has many ways of inspiring people.  

Lead your group to Conference Point Center and find your inspiration.