Camp Wapanacki

Dr. Merle Frampton established Camp Wapanacki here in 1938. It was the first camp in the country dedicated to children with blindness and visual impairments. Dr. Frampton and his wife, Iris, managed Wapanacki until 1942, when operations were transferred to The New York Institute for the Education of the Blind. Frampton served as director of the Institution until 1971. Campers came from across the U.S. and Canada to participate in activities available at most summer camps such as swimming, canoeing, athletics, and hiking. Trails lined with a series of wood railings allowed campers to travel independently around the camp. The Girl Scouts of America purchased Camp Wapanacki in 1991, selling it in 2014. The preserved site is now privately owned.