Camp History
The U.S. Forest Service released the land our camp currently sits on for public use back in the 1930s. Pop Herly was the first builder on Lake Kirkwood in 1933. He described it as “a paradise with no disturbing influences other than Nature herself.”
Two Sentinels is the longest continuously running Girl Scout camp west of the Mississippi River. Even during World War II, a small group of girls attended camp and the flag was raised and lowered every day. Today, Two Sentinels is the fourth-oldest Girl Scout camp still in existence in the United States.
In 1936, the first camp was built upon the site of our Camp Two Sentinels, founded by Paula “Vireo” Watt (from Burlingame). She believed girls needed a High Sierra camp and since there wasn’t one available, she built one herself. It was built in 21 days by a group of Swedish carpenters, and the campers arrived the day after building finished. The original kitchen was partially outdoors, including the big granite fire pit that is still beyond the Birdhouse. Campers have always eaten and washed dishes outside like we do today. The flag pole that still stands was dedicated to Paula “Vireo” Watt in 1948.
Mrs. Phelan was the first director of our camp. Ruth “Cricket” McCully was director for the next three years; Cricket’s Hearth is named in her honor. The fireplace in our current Staff House is dedicated to Reed Bekins (founder of Bekins Moving Company) who dedicated countless hours to help with various construction projects around camp.
For some of the early years starting in 1941, our camp also served as a coed recreational camp for San Francisco State College students who would take courses in song-leading, photography, sketching, nature, first aid, leathercraft, swimming and water sports, and archery. Students earned college credit for taking these courses. Campers were awoken at 6:30 in the morning for flag and breakfast so they could be in classes by 8:00. Before lunch, they had time for swimming, but then went back to classes after lunch until dinner. There was a campfire every night. The object of this recreational camp was to train students to become camp leaders elsewhere, to work in the outdoors, or to pursue a career in recreational activities. After a few years, the camp returned to being used only as a Girl Scout camp.
In 1947, the camp was remodeled into the basis for Two Sentinels Girl Scout Camp as it is today. The old dining hall was made into the crafts area. The kitchen became a counselor’s lodge. The original first unit became the kitchen, with the addition of a dining platform. Units were moved around, and new ones were built. The swamp was turned into what is now the meadow. The original units were:
Originally in the 1930s, there was a Silver Ledges unit, named after a popular hiking destination, but it no longer existed by the 1950s.
There used to be a little general store and post office next to the beach where campers could pick up their mail and buy things like ice cream, soda, and candy. The trip up to camp used to take many hours because some of the roads weren’t paved and the bus would often have to stop for traveling herds of sheep.
In 1952, a major snow storm caused the roofs to fall in on the kitchen, Luegete, and Dom La Su. Lumber was towed across the lake to rebuild these buildings.
In the winter of 1982-1983, a tree fell on the kitchen, rendering it completely unusable. Luegete and Dom La Su were also damaged again. For that year (1983), Two Sentinels was moved entirely to a different camp located in Mendocino, the site of where a famous horror movie had been filmed! That summer, the camp was called “Tree Sentinels.” Volunteers worked that summer to replace the kitchen so we could return to Lake Kirkwood in 1984. That kitchen still stands today. Due to the heavy snow fall in the Dom La Su and Luegete unit areas, these unit houses weren’t rebuilt. We now have tent platforms created out of their floors.
In 1994, new federal laws came into effect regarding the quality of water for children. Our camp was notified by the San Francisco Bay Girl Scout Council that it would have to pay $50,000 to have a line put in across the ridge to the Kirkwood Water Line. Instead, Roy Bell and Don Mayo worked with the utilities department, other agencies, and the Girl Scouts and set up a new system. The majority of the new line was put in over a weekend and it was finished the following weekend, all for a fraction of the original estimate. Through the dedication of the volunteers of Two Sentinels, camp stayed open.
In the 1990s, the Swamprats unit was renamed to Meadowlarks in memory of a former director, Kay “Meadowlark” Placas. Also a new Dockers unit was added in the 1990s. The unit focused on water activities for girls who preferred to stay in camp rather than go backpacking. The unit was created by Megan “Sunflower” Gerdts as her Gold Award project. In 2015, we added the Fireflies unit in honor of long-time director Danielle "Firefly" Storm.
Our camp is constantly evolving and changing, but we always remain true to the traditions that founded us in 1936.
Two Sentinels is the longest continuously running Girl Scout camp west of the Mississippi River. Even during World War II, a small group of girls attended camp and the flag was raised and lowered every day. Today, Two Sentinels is the fourth-oldest Girl Scout camp still in existence in the United States.
In 1936, the first camp was built upon the site of our Camp Two Sentinels, founded by Paula “Vireo” Watt (from Burlingame). She believed girls needed a High Sierra camp and since there wasn’t one available, she built one herself. It was built in 21 days by a group of Swedish carpenters, and the campers arrived the day after building finished. The original kitchen was partially outdoors, including the big granite fire pit that is still beyond the Birdhouse. Campers have always eaten and washed dishes outside like we do today. The flag pole that still stands was dedicated to Paula “Vireo” Watt in 1948.
Mrs. Phelan was the first director of our camp. Ruth “Cricket” McCully was director for the next three years; Cricket’s Hearth is named in her honor. The fireplace in our current Staff House is dedicated to Reed Bekins (founder of Bekins Moving Company) who dedicated countless hours to help with various construction projects around camp.
For some of the early years starting in 1941, our camp also served as a coed recreational camp for San Francisco State College students who would take courses in song-leading, photography, sketching, nature, first aid, leathercraft, swimming and water sports, and archery. Students earned college credit for taking these courses. Campers were awoken at 6:30 in the morning for flag and breakfast so they could be in classes by 8:00. Before lunch, they had time for swimming, but then went back to classes after lunch until dinner. There was a campfire every night. The object of this recreational camp was to train students to become camp leaders elsewhere, to work in the outdoors, or to pursue a career in recreational activities. After a few years, the camp returned to being used only as a Girl Scout camp.
In 1947, the camp was remodeled into the basis for Two Sentinels Girl Scout Camp as it is today. The old dining hall was made into the crafts area. The kitchen became a counselor’s lodge. The original first unit became the kitchen, with the addition of a dining platform. Units were moved around, and new ones were built. The swamp was turned into what is now the meadow. The original units were:
- Chinquapin (now Tags)
- Meer Hut (now Waterbugs)
- Bonnie Wee Huse (now Rangers)
- Dom La Su (now Meadowlarks)
- Luegete (now Rovers)
- Pioneers
Originally in the 1930s, there was a Silver Ledges unit, named after a popular hiking destination, but it no longer existed by the 1950s.
There used to be a little general store and post office next to the beach where campers could pick up their mail and buy things like ice cream, soda, and candy. The trip up to camp used to take many hours because some of the roads weren’t paved and the bus would often have to stop for traveling herds of sheep.
In 1952, a major snow storm caused the roofs to fall in on the kitchen, Luegete, and Dom La Su. Lumber was towed across the lake to rebuild these buildings.
In the winter of 1982-1983, a tree fell on the kitchen, rendering it completely unusable. Luegete and Dom La Su were also damaged again. For that year (1983), Two Sentinels was moved entirely to a different camp located in Mendocino, the site of where a famous horror movie had been filmed! That summer, the camp was called “Tree Sentinels.” Volunteers worked that summer to replace the kitchen so we could return to Lake Kirkwood in 1984. That kitchen still stands today. Due to the heavy snow fall in the Dom La Su and Luegete unit areas, these unit houses weren’t rebuilt. We now have tent platforms created out of their floors.
In 1994, new federal laws came into effect regarding the quality of water for children. Our camp was notified by the San Francisco Bay Girl Scout Council that it would have to pay $50,000 to have a line put in across the ridge to the Kirkwood Water Line. Instead, Roy Bell and Don Mayo worked with the utilities department, other agencies, and the Girl Scouts and set up a new system. The majority of the new line was put in over a weekend and it was finished the following weekend, all for a fraction of the original estimate. Through the dedication of the volunteers of Two Sentinels, camp stayed open.
In the 1990s, the Swamprats unit was renamed to Meadowlarks in memory of a former director, Kay “Meadowlark” Placas. Also a new Dockers unit was added in the 1990s. The unit focused on water activities for girls who preferred to stay in camp rather than go backpacking. The unit was created by Megan “Sunflower” Gerdts as her Gold Award project. In 2015, we added the Fireflies unit in honor of long-time director Danielle "Firefly" Storm.
Our camp is constantly evolving and changing, but we always remain true to the traditions that founded us in 1936.