History

In the summer of 1932, the Reverend Arthur F. Perkins of Merrill, Wisconsin, invited a class of boys for a week at his cottage on Crescent Lake near Rhinelander.  They had a wonderful time and this inspired Mr. Perkins with a desire to establish a camp where boys and girls, especially from rural communities, could spend a happy, useful vacation under Christian auspices at a minimal cost.  He spoke to several pastors of rural churches about the idea and they too were attracted. 

Rev. Arthur Perkins

The piece of land where Perkins Memorial building and Bethel are now located was available along with the desirable beach at the cost of $400.00, a steep price back then.  On December 14, 1933, Mr. Perkins along with Mr. Tremblay, a pastor at Pembine, Wisconsin, paid $5.00 each – a large sum of money – for a down payment.  They approached ten other people whom they felt would be interested enough to donate $40.00 each and act as the Board of Directors of the camp.  In less than two months the property was paid off and the deed was secure. 

December 16, 1933, Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship held its first Board Meeting.  The purposes of the camp were established, plans for a new building were drawn up and three weeks of camp were scheduled for July of 1934.  In February of 1934, the Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship was officially incorporated to take some of the pressure of Reverend Perkins. 

It was a humble beginning…

On March 6, 1934, the size of the original building plans were reduced and work began.  Axes swung, scythes and sickles cut through the brush and made room for the first building, "Bethany" (a combination dining hall and dormitory). 

On July 2, 1934, 32 girls ages 10-13 arrived at Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship.  They were housed and fed in Bethany.  By the end of that first, three-week camping season, 141 campers had attended Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship!

During this time, the pressure on Reverend Perkins was becoming greater.  He had been reprimanded by his denomination for creating a non-denominational camp.  In 1935, Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship sent out its first brochure.  In light of the problems Reverend Perkins was facing, it is probably not surprising that just under the camp name is the phrase, “Independent of any Ecclesiastical Affiliation or Control.”  In addition to this note, campers were also informed of the train schedules and connections so campers could plan their trip to Crescent Lake.

On July 30^th, 1935, Mary Giles records in the minutes of the annual meeting the following:

“The week before camp the men started building the Cedar Dinning (sic) Hall and in five days it was ready for use.  We surely appreciate this will and practical service of all who helped in this project.”

The second year of Summer Camp proved even more successful than the first!  By the end of the camping season, 260 campers had attended.  So large were the groups that cabins located where Sunset stands and Carmel stood were rented.  Perkins’ cabin, ¾ miles to the east, was also pressed into service.

Unfortunately, despite the wonderful ministry at Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship, Reverend Arthur Perkins, then 48-years-old, was called to Green Bay to answer to his denomination.  For daring to found a camp that would reach out to all children, regardless of church affiliation or financial status, Reverend Perkins was removed from the pulpit and barred from the conference.  Almost immediately, his health begins to fail…

After this time, to help the ailing Reverend Perkins, other Board Members stepped up to assume more responsibility.  Robert Hull, a farmer from Montello, Wisconsin, became the first President of the Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship, a position he held for many years.

The 1930s were an exciting time for the fledgling camp.  The areas where the cabins of Arena, Carmel and Sunset would be built were purchased for $3,000.00.  In addition, Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship acquired the original Daniel’s Den and a double garage called the Fiery Furnace – both of which served as dormitories for boys.  The Board also acquired the right to purchase the Davis Point property to the east, where our current Chapel sits.

During the 1930s, Reverend Perkins is called home to be with the Lord.  To honor his vision and service, the Perkins Memorial cabin is built to house cooks and kitchen help  Around this time, a small office building and a new cabin, Bethel, are built.

On August 2, 1938, the passage from Jeremiah 33:3 is officially read into the minutes:

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”  (KJV)

Finally, the 1930s brought us a quote that is familiar to all Crescent Lake campers, both past and present.  When trying to describe Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship, Mr. Tremblay, one of the Directors, commented that it was:

"Beautiful by creation — sacred by association."

And that motto still applies to this day.

The 1940s saw the addition of a new tradition – the Camp Banquet.  After World War II, two more buildings were added.  The cabin, Kielhorn was completed and a new Chapel was built in memory of little Kenneth Williamson.

The 1950s saw a boom in construction!  Ruth Haven, Rebecca’s Rest, Naomi Lodge, Huseby, Balma and the Nurse’s Cabin were all completed and the Rec Building (Fellowship) was completed in memory of the late Esther Hillegas.  Another group of people from the Arena Bible Church spearheaded the construction of a new style of cabin designed to accommodate families.  That cabin, appropriately enough, was names Arena.

The 1950s also saw a change in the programming at Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship.  There was an emerging emphasis on Family Camps which began to grow quickly.  In the offseason, CLBF began to offer its new Winter Retreat camps.  A mile down the road, new changes were also happening.  Walter Weir purchased 40 acres for use as an outpost camp, overnight campouts and cookouts.  A shelter was later added to the Back 40 to protect campers from rain.

The 1960s and 1970s saw camp programming focusing on Family Camps.  The Dean’s Cabin was built and, again, the Arena Bible Church led the charge to build the Williamson cabin.  The Camp Manager at the time, Daryl Hickox, encouraged water sports and watercraft activities which quickly grew.  Mr. Hickox also started the Wisconsin River Canoe Trips; a program that continues to this day.

On a sad note, Fred Giles, one of the original founders of the Crescent Lake Bible Fellowship, went home to be with the Lord while attending camp.

The 1980s brought upgrades to the Kitchen facilities and sports areas, construction of additional Staff Housing and completion of the Doug Roberts Memorial Retreat Center.  The bathhouse, complete with laundry facilities, was also built to better serve our campers.

In the 1990s, the Pederson cabin was constructed in honor of Bill Pederson, a long-time Camp Manager.  Then, in 1993, Russell Clark, Leslie St. Clair and Merlin Zimmer came together to build the new Maintenance Building; a beautiful complex large enough to meet the needs of the hundreds of campers we serve every summer.  In 1999, the new Hunerdosse Lodge, a fully-equipped Dining Hall with a large meeting room, game room and two meeting rooms was completed. 

In 2001, Crescent Lake Bible Camp purchased the Dempsey Inn, a high-end, self-contained retreat center with a fantastic view of Crescent Lake.

In 2006, a new future began for Crescent Lake Bible Camp with the incorporation of Northern Lakes Ministries, a new operating company which took control in 2007.  Northern Lakes Ministries has continued to build on the original foundation laid by Reverend Perkins in 1932.  Not only has it worked to expand the ministry programs offered through Crescent Lake Bible Camp, but it has also added the Impact Center for Charitable Investments (ICCI), a project that assists nonprofit organizations with fundraising and endowments; and Eagle Cove Camp and Conference Center, a project to minister to youth with severe medical conditions.

In 2008, the Northern Lakes Impact Center became the next project of the Northern Lakes Ministries.  Formed to offer Outdoor Environmental Education and Teambuilding programs to local area schools; it also offers programs for At-Risk / Adjudicated Youth, programs for At-Risk Families and, at the time of this writing, was looking to expand into prison ministries and juvenile detention facilities.

In 2009, Northern Lakes Ministries, through the Northern Lakes Impact Center, began partnerships with the Association Retreat Center (ARC) in Osceola, Wisconsin and Lake Beauty Bible Camp in Long Prairie, Minnesota to provide additional revenue to support these ministries and to allow the Outdoor Education and Teambuilding programs to be expanded throughout the upper Midwest.

A visit to the camp will certainly reveal that there are few more beautiful campsites than Crescent Lake and accommodations and facilities are improving from year to year. Come and see for yourself! Yes, Crescent Lake Bible Camp has been serving the youth of the Midwest for 70+ years and stands ready to continue this service.

It is to the Heavenly Father we give the glory…

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Crescent Lake Bible Camp
2750 Bible Camp Drive, Rhinelander, WI 54501

(715) 203 - 0500  -  (320) 272 - 8164 (Fax)