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About Mahackeno
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Click here for some old Mahackeno snapshots
Mahackeno has a long history that starts well before it became a camp in 1938. It begins,
in fact, more than 300 years ago. The Indian Sachem Mahackemo (spelling with an "m") used
this property as a summer lodge for himself and his tribe in the early 1600's. This is
where Camp Mahackeno derived its name.
We're a part of Westport's history. Our story begins in 1938, as many weary hours were
spent tramping both sides of the Saugutuck and Aspetuck rivers through Westport and
Weston looking for a good camp site. It was very discouraging until one day in the latter
part of April of that same year, YMCA employees were talking about the discouraging hunt
for a camp site. A young YMCA man on the janitorial staff overheard the conversation and
said, "I know of a place not over a five minute drive from here that would make a great
day camp site". Fifteen minutes after hearing this remark, Camp Mahackeno was 'discovered'
by the "Y" staff.
Helen Smith, who lived in Stamford, owned the property at the time. Mrs Smith owned the
site and ran "The Denishawn School of Dancing".
In 1944, Mr Harry Richman purchased the property from Mrs. Smith and offered the land to
the Westport Weston Family Y.
Mr F. T. Bedford was contacted in 1944 and asked by the YMCA to help purchase Camp Mahackeno.
Mr Bedford indicated that the Bedford Trust Fund would pay for half the purchase price and
the YMCA would pay the other half. So upon this agreement the YMCA purchased the camp
property from Mr. Richman in 1944.
The YMCA had just purchased a very remote part of land in Westport at the time. Let us try
to draw a picture for you of camp as it was in the early days. Picture, if you will, about
fifteen small 5x10 cottages, all in some form of disrepair, scattered throughout lower camp.
The waterfront was cluttered with three small houses and one large house which threatened to
collapse at any time. Water had to be carried to camp in large milk cans as there was no
drinking water...only well water to be used for sinks, etc. The land was just bare
acreage with flimsy steps going up and down both sides of the hills. What electricity there
was, had been very inadequate.
Camp Mahackeno derived its start as a "stay-at-home" camp for younger boys. Mahackeno had
a total of fifty-eight boys during the first season of Mahackeno. Mr. Jay C. Vanzant was
Mahackeno's first official Camp Director, and had a long history of keeping the children
of Mahackeno happy.
Mahackeno opened it door's to girls in the summer of 1969 and Mahackeno has been a co-ed
camp ever since.
There are hundreds of people not mentioned in the "History of Mahackeno" To name all the
campers, counselors, specialists, volunteers, parents, directors, etc would be impossible,
however without these people, Mahackeno absolutely would not be here today, and we are
extremely grateful to every one of them.
Please enjoy the pictures of camp years past, and remember you should go to the Alumni
site and post your favorite stories about Mahackeno. We encourage you to write stories,
so they can become part of our history and are not lost.
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