Camp Hitaga alumni work to preserve history

CEDAR RAPIDS - Some women are working to make sure a once-popular camp isn't forgotten.

Last year, camp leaders made the decision to close Camp Hitaga, near Walker.

In November, the property officially sold to new owners.

Before the sale, the group known as Camp Fire Iowana owned and operated Camp Hitaga. Camp leaders said it started as a camp for girls decades ago, but changed to a co-ed camp about 30 years ago. Now, camp alumni are working to preserve memories.

Thinking about the closure is still hard for Valerie Smith, who once attended Camp Hitaga and later worked as the camp's executive director.

'It's really sad. I mean, I grew up as a kid in Camp Fire and at camp, and even though, yes, the time had come because there wasn't enough interest from leaders, from kids to come to camp, from donors to help sustaining it,” Smith said.

Despite the emotions, camp leaders want to preserve items that detail the story of Camp Hitaga. Memorabilia is going to the Iowa Women's Archives at the University of Iowa library.

Joyce Moore, president of the board for Camp Fire Iowana, also attended camp in the 1950s. She has one of the most memorable pieces for the collection - the camp's logo.

'It means pitch a tent high on a hill, overlooking a river,” Moore said.

As camp leaders finish dissolving the Camp Fire Iowana organization, alumni want to make sure it's not forgotten. To them, camp is something that has created lifelong friendships and has changed their lives.

'I know that there is a lot of alums and myself who think that the basis for who we've become, and particularly for me, the leadership skills I developed over the years and the feeling of confidence in myself, all of that started at camp,” Moore said.

It's the end of an 83-year-old story, but one that will be preserved for years to come.

Camp leaders say people who attended camp can donate memorabilia from Camp Hitaga to the Iowa Women's Archives at the University of Iowa Library. Visitors can already see some items there from a former donation, but now that collection will grow.