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Camp Fire Girls Sacramento-Yolo Council records
MS0002
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Center for Sacramento History
Title: Camp Fire Girls Sacramento-Yolo Council records
creator:
Bidwell Council of Camp Fire, Inc
creator:
Yuba-Sutter Council of Camp Fire, Inc
creator:
Sacramento-Yolo Council of Camp Fire, Inc (1948-1998)
creator:
Camp Fire Boys and Girls, Sacramento Sierra Council (1998-2002)
creator:
Camp Fire USA, Sacramento Sierra Council (2002-2007)
Identifier/Call Number: MS0002
Physical Description:
17.6 linear feet
(16 boxes + 65 artifacts)
Date (inclusive): 1910-2007
Physical Location: Center for Sacramento History
551 Sequoia Pacific Boulevard
Sacramento, California 95811
(916) 808-7072
csh@cityofsacramento.org
www.centerforsacramentohistory.org
Physical location: SP 1:H:3-4, 1:H:6, I:G:5-6, 45:E:4-5
Abstract: The Camp Fire records document the activities of the now defunct groups in the Sacramento region. Now known simply as Camp
Fire, Camp Fire Girls was established in Sacramento in the 1920s, and was a popular and inclusive organization for more than
seventy-five years until it dissolved in 2009. Native American culture was a prominent influence on the group's values, attire,
names, and ranks. The numerous books, scrapbooks, photographs, and artifacts make the bulk of the collection and provide the
framework and foundation for each series.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Received from Danielle Pinney in December 2008 by the Center for Sacramento History. Accession #2008/054.
[Identification of item], MS0002, Camp Fire Girls Sacramento-Yolo Council records, Center for Sacramento History.
At the Center for Sacramento History: George I. Williams Boy Scout Collection (2005/078), the John O'Farrell Collection (2006/026),
and the Loren Hov Collection of Boy Scout material (2006/066); and a Girl Scout uniform (2016/034).
Camp Fire Girls was established by Dr. Luther Gulick and Charlotte Gulick in 1910 as a non-profit youth agency. It was incorporated
in Washington D.C. as a national agency on March 17, 1912. Since its founding, Camp Fire has upheld and promoted WoHeLo, which
stands for the core values of Work, Health, and Love. These values have been central to the group, as is the Camp Fire law,
which is to Worship God, Seek Beauty, Give Service, Pursue Knowledge, Be Trustworthy, Hold onto Health, Glorify Work, and
Be Happy.
In 1975 Camp Fire became co-educational, changing its name to Camp Fire Boys and Girls. In 2012, it again changed to simply
Camp Fire. Until 1975, Camp Fire Girls was open to girls of all ages, races, religions, national origins, and economic backgrounds
as an outdoor opportunity in response to the Boy Scouts (also founded in 1910). To stress its identity of diversity and inclusiveness,
Camp Fire Girls used Native American culture as the inspiration for many of its activities, names, and symbols. The group
originally used native costumes for ceremonies, but later girls were encouraged to dress according to their own ethnic ancestry.
Their national uniforms consisted of a white blouse, a blue skirt, a red or blue vest, and a red neckerchief. Four program
categories distinguished the grade levels: the Blue Birds club ranged from first through third grades; Adventure Club covered
fourth through sixth grades; Junior-Hi Club (now called Discovery) included seventh and eighth grades; and Horizon Club was
for high school girls.
Camp Fire came to California in 1917, and in 1923 the Sacramento Yolo Council was founded. Its headquarters were located in
East Sacramento. According to the scrapbooks in this collection, the girls in this Council were active in the Sacramento region
assisting the elderly, selling their famous chocolate mints, earning their beads and ranks, and attending camp. Two camps
were specifically available for Camp Fire members near Sacramento: Camp Minaluta and Camp Mokitana. Little is known about
Camp Minaluta, except that it was also known as Camp Augusta located on Lake Vera near Nevada City, California and sold in
2004. Camp Mokitana was located at River Bend (formerly known as Goethe) Park and closed in the 2000s. It was renovated by
Rotary District 5180 in 2014.
After fifty years the Sacramento Yolo Council changed its name to the Sacramento Sierra Council in 1998. While Camp Fire was
thriving in California, it did not play a prevalent and lasting role in the Sacramento area. The lack of community funding
and new membership caused the council to officially dissolve in 2009.
Series 1. Bound and Printed Materials
Series 2. Organizational Materials
Series 3. Scrapbooks
Series 4. Photographs
Series 5. Awards
Series 6. Artifacts
This collection primarily documents over 75 years of the activities of the Camp Fire Sacramento-Yolo Council. These records
include material from Campfire councils that dissolved and merged, including councils based in Chico, Davis, Marysville, Roseville,
Woodland, and Yuba City. Collected and preserved by multiple members, the collection focuses mainly on group events through
scrapbooks and photographs that range from c.1910 to 2007 and captures activities and projects required for rank advancements
and awards for accomplishments. The collection also gives a broad view of the national organization with many editions of
the guidebooks and booklets for national summer workshops; manuals that teach the arts of camping, cooking, and crafting;
and cultural dress for ceremonies. The collection contains very little correspondence from individuals. Items in general are
arranged chronologically within each series. Several scrapbooks and newspaper clippings have been photocopied onto archival
paper for preservation purposes.
Contained within the collection are textual records including books and publications; newspapers, newspaper clippings, bulletins,
and magazine articles; and awards and certificates. Other formats include photographs; and artifacts include uniforms, native
ceremonial attire, beads, drums, and trophies. The geographic focus of the material is the Sacramento, California region,
and dates from the 1910s through the early 2000s. Topics and subjects included in the collection are Native American and other
ethnic folklore; camping and recreation; conservation and community service.
The following series scope and content notes only offer selected highlights. Please see the container list for a full listing
of the series contents. The numerous books, scrapbooks, photographs, and artifacts make the bulk of the collection and provide
the framework and foundation for each series.
Series 1 – Bound & Printed Materials include three subseries: Guidebooks, Manuals & Bulletins, and Fiction. The Guidebooks
subseries contain the handbooks used in all the levels, as well as the parent or guardian books. The several editions of each
guidebook reflect changes taking place over the twentieth century. Manuals & Bulletins document the skills, activities, and
events of the Camp Fire participants, including leadership, manners and femininity, camping, cooking, and crafting; summer
workshops, training courses, and ceremonies. Magazines for both Camp Fire members and leaders are also included. The final
subseries is Fiction, which consists of early to mid-twentieth century hardcover novels. Mostly written by Camp Fire Girls,
Inc., these novels describe thrilling adventures and demonstrate how girls could use the valuable skills they learned via
the organization.
Series 2 – Organizational Materials is comprised of 28 folders that contain meeting records, forms, newspaper clippings, publicity
materials, minutes from board meetings and other record books, song books, and ephemera.
Series 3 – Scrapbooks is comprised of approximately 42 scrapbooks dating from the beginning of the Camp Fire Girls in the
Sacramento area. They contain thousands of newspaper and publicity clippings; thousands of photographs, and some correspondence;
Camp Fire birthday projects, and rank requirement projects. Many of the scrapbooks were copied onto archival paper due to
the original's condition and size. Those deemed too brittle or with broken bindings were discarded. In some cases, the original
scrapbook and a preservation copy on archival paper can be found together in a folder; the container list indicates this with
the symbol †.
Series 4 – Photographs document the activities in which the Camp Fire members participated and are arranged chronologically.
The photographs depict events such as ceremonies, field trips, holiday gatherings, and group pictures. There are several photographs
from Camp Minaluta over the years, as well as some from surrounding councils. Box 9 contains unidentified and undated photographs.
Series 5 – Awards include printed charters, certificates, resolutions, proclamations, and awards which recognize the contributions
and work of the councils in their communities.
Series 6 – Artifacts contain trophies, clothing, handmade ceremonial items, beads, and handmade drums. The clothing depicts
the national uniforms, as well as the native attire used in Camp Fire ceremonies. Descriptions of these items can be found
in the Center's artifact catalog: http://sacramento.pastperfectonline.com.
All requests to publish or quote from private collections held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted
in writing to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Center for Sacramento History
as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained by the patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Boy Scouts of America
Camp Fire Girls
Camp Minaluta
Camp Mokitana
Leadership Magazine
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Union
Camping
Clubs – Girls societies -- Education -- Folklore -- Outdoor Life -- Recreation -- Sacramento (Calif.)—History