TThe Story of Castle Rock Camp Chapter 2

THE STORY OF CASTLE ROCK BAPTIST CAMP

Compiled by Verna and Bob Allen

As a boy growing up in Montana it was my privilege each summer to spend weeks on the banks of the Gallatin River at Castle Rock Baptist Camp.  My mother, Verna Allen, and I compiled a book of memories which was made available to campers for a couple of years.  Over the next few days I am going to share the story of Castle Rock with you, minus the pictures.  I trust it will be a blessing as you rejoice in the work God has done over the years.

Chapter Two: The Founding Fathers

 J. E. Beckman had envisioned a Bible camp at the Castle Rock property when he had first become owner of the land.  He ran a sawmill and lumber shop at the site and used trees from the premises to build the log chapel and a log bridge across the Gallatin River in 1940.  That bridge was still standing when Castle Rock Camp began in 1960, but it was no longer safe for vehicle traffic and soon succumbed to the savage spring run off of the river.   Some of the early campers may recall taking dips in the icy water near the wooden pilings that still remained near the mouth of Squaw Creek.

            The Beckman’s held gospel services in the chapel and two of his seven children were married in the old log structure.  They would often lead children on hikes up to the crest of Storm Castle Mountain, competing in an attempt to beat the record of fifteen minutes from the bottom to the top.

            Mr. Beckman worked with a man named Oliver Knutson on various projects, including the building of the Paul Beckman home on the west side of the river.  Over lunch one day he mentioned to Mr. Knutson that he would like to sell the camp property since he was getting older.  But he wanted to be sure it would be used as a Bible camp.  Knutson recounted the conversation to Richard Engstrom who was a member of the Baptist church in Helena, pastored by Rev. Fay Garner.

            In November of 1960, Bible Baptist Church hosted a Leadership Training Conference in Helena.  The speakers were Felix Runquist, Field Director for the InterMountain Baptist Fellowship, and Arthur Allen, pastor of First Baptist Church in Laurel.  Rev. Garner mentioned his conversation with Richard Engstrom and suggested that the four of them take a trip down to the Gallatin Valley to see the property that was for sale.

            Richard Engstrom recalls walking across the wooden bridge which was little more than a foot path by that time.  Mr. Beckman led them on a tour of the grounds and buildings.  “The buildings were dilapidated, the weeds had been growing for years and it looked almost like a ghost-town from a Montana history book.  But the men saw possibilities in that plot of ground, even though the buildings were sadly lacking”  (25 Years Under the Big Sky).

            Arthur Allen remembered later hearing Mr. Beckman quote the price for the property as $50,000.00.  Feeling that was far beyond the reach of the chuches of the fellowship he was ready to head back to Helena when one of the men told him that Beckman had actually asked for $15,000.00.   Although that would still be a challenge for the churches, the trip back to Helena became a planning session as to the best way the camp could be used for the glory of God.

            Just after Thanksgiving a group of interested pastors met on the grounds to pray and consider the purchase of the campground for the establishment of a future Baptist camping site.  They all felt that Castle Rock Baptist Camp would be a great asset to the churches of Montana.

Dr. Runquist wrote the following report in the March, 1961 Intermountain Baptist Bulletin.  “Thursday, February 23, a few Montana pastors met and presented a $500.00 check to Mr. Beckman of Gallatin Gateway as part of a down payment for a partially developed Bible camp ground.  For the Montana churches which are young and small, this was a tremendous step of faith, but God’s provision is even greater.  The ground is a fourteen acre tract located on the Gallatin River just one-fourth mile off of Highway 191 between Bozeman, Montana and West Yellowstone.  There are some sixteen buildings on the grounds: cabins, large log chapel, and a small dining hall, nestled in the Gallatin Canyon, just at the foot of towering Storm Castle Mountain.”

            Churches from Miles City, Lewistown, Great Falls, Livingston, Butte, Dillon, Havre, Helena and Laurel had met on January 6 to authorize the purchase and organize a board of trustees for the camp.  A. W. Allen was elected president, with Arthur Bigelow as secretary-treasurer.  They were joined by four trustees: Shirley Sjoblom of Havre, Fay Garner of Helena, Frank McQuoid of Miles City and Mayor J. J. Parker of Laurel.  They voted to name the camp Castle Rock Conservative Baptist Camp.  Later the word Conservative would be omitted when the Intermountain Baptist Fellowship withdrew from the national Conservative  Baptist movement. 

            The newly elected board met on February 28th to plan the upcoming camping season.  Mayor Parker moved that the camp incorporate as a non-profit organization for the purpose of owning and operating a Christian camp.  The camping committee scheduled three weeks for youth camps and one for a family camp that coming summer.  83 junior campers, 63 intermediates and 34 high schoolers enjoyed the rugged experience of the partially developed grounds that summer.  Outhouses were the only restroom facilities.  Baths had to be taken in Squaw Creek and the Dining Hall and cabins leaked when it rained.  But the spiritual blessings outweighed any of those inconveniences.   107 people showed up for family camp.  

 That first year the total grocery bill for the four weeks of camp came to $909.77 for an average cost per camper per meal of twenty-four cents.  The camp fee for one week was ten dollars.  Other children from the same family could register for five dollars.   Insurance for the entire camping season amounted to $84.00 and missionary offerings of $153.90 were received.

            The first annual meeting for the new camping association was held on September 18-20, 1961.  At that meeting Arthur Allen was elected president with Carroll Onstatt as vice-president.  J. J. Parker became secretary and Arthur Bigelow continued as treasurer.  Chosen as trustees of the camp were Walter Lacy, Ernest Schwenke, Chester Brown, Shirley Sjoblom, William Weidenaar and Richard Engstrom.  Planning the camping season for the coming year fell to Camp Director Fay Garner, assisted by James Perkins, Arthur Coats, Frank Moore and Frank McQuoid.

 Work on the improvement of the camp began immediately.  Rough cut slabs were placed on the dining hall to give it a log cabin look.  New siding covered Cabin B courtesy of the church in Livingston.  An entrance sign was placed over the road leading into camp.  The yard was cleared of weeds and tall grass.  The chapel roof was braced and the roof itself patched and painted with tar.  A cabin on the lower field was torn down and gravel was hauled to a site near the kitchen for future building needs.

 In 1962 the chapel was named “Dr. Runquist Chapel.”  Dr. Felix Runquist was the Field Director for the InterMountain Baptist Fellowship from 1957-1963.  Before that he had pastored in Robbinsdale, Minnesota.  During his years as state missionary, fifteen churches joined the InterMountain Baptist Fellowship, many of them in Montana.  He continued to be a favorite speaker at the camp even after leaving to become Executive Secretary in Indiana.

 Fay Garner had been the pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle in Miles City from 1956-1960.  He  had just accepted the call to Bible Baptist Church of Helena in 1960 when the Beckman property came to his attention.   He was the one who mentioned the camp to Arthur Allen and Felix Runquist and prompted the first trip to the Callatin site which eventually led the churches to purchase the property where the camp now sits.  Even after moving to Idaho the Garners have returned often to enjoy the blessings of Caleb’s Kin and Family Camp.

 Arthur Allen was at the time of the founding of the camp, the pastor of First Baptist Church, Laurel, He had helped the church in Laurel to organize during his years as Field Director of the InterMountain Baptist Fellowship.  He served as Field Director from 1952-1955.  From Laurel Dr. Allen moved to Minnesota where he spend seventeen years as Executive Secretary of the Minnesota Baptist Association.   During those years he often visited in Montana and stayed in touch with Castle Rock and its programs.  After retirement he returned, first to Great Falls and then to Laurel.  Everyone who knew Arthur Allen recognized that two of the great loves of his life were Israel and Castle Rock Camp.  He and his wife built the “Shalom” cabin and spent every summer at camp working on the grounds, teaching and ministering to campers and staff alike.  In 1984 the new dining hall was named “Allen Lodge” in his honor.