Our History
According to research by Sivert Glarum in this 1983 book “Our Land and Lakes,” the site where Camp Lookout presently stands had its “camp” beginnings in 1917 when the land was purchased from the Stubbs family by the Rector, Church Wardens and Vestrymen of Christ’s Church, Winnetka, Illinois. “The choir director of the church, Ellis Chase,” writes Glarum, "had spent summers in the area and induced the officials of the church to establish a camp at that location where he could bring his choir boys for summer vacations to reward them for their efforts and where he could continue their training through the summer.”
“Every evening during the camping period,” Glarum wrote, “weather permitting, the boys would gather on the shore of the lake and sing. The voices coming across the water were a great treat for the people around the lake.”
According to county records, the operation of the camp by the church ended following the stock market crash of the 1930s and was sold to Verne Handley and Roy E. Robinson in 1934 who operated it as a private summer camp for boys, Camp Lookout. Robinson sold his interest to Handley who continued operation through 1954. Camp was then operated by Byron T. and Winifred Neidhamer (1955-1961) and by Arthur H. and Marian M. Davis (1962 – 1976).
​
In 1976 Elizabeth Howard purchased the camp and opened it as Camp Marameg for Girls. Howard ran Camp Marameg until 1990 when Dave Reid, Kathi Houston and Fred Oeflein purchased the property and Dave Reid and Kathi Houston then re-opened Camp Lookout as a camp for both boys and girls. Dave and Kathi successfully ran Camp Lookout and Crystalaire Camp simultaneously until Crystalaire Camp closed in 2007. Camp Lookout still has strong ties and planted roots with many Crystalaire Camp families, and the camp philosophy and many of the camp traditions have successfully transitioned from Crystalaire to Camp Lookout.
​
In 2011, Curtis McFall came on board to start working with Dave and Kathi to help transition Camp Lookout successfully into the future. Camp has several new ongoing projects and we’re all looking ahead with excitement.
