As the Archive Project continues to explore the rich history of Camp Fuller, we often find small bits of history hidden in boxes, old documents, photos and emails we receive.  Our goal is to record and document these historic facts and present them on this website for all to read and enjoy.  Here are a few we thought you might like:

Camp Fuller is one of the oldest summer camps in the United States.  Some documents show dates as early as 1887.   Before its present home on Point Judith Pond, it was an itinerate summer camp operated by the Providence YMCA Boy’s Division with several different locations around Rhode Island. These included Silver Spring, Prudence Island, North Scituate, North Kingstown and Mount Hope.

Always situated on the water, the two-week wilderness camping program for boys from Providence was an oasis from city life for those who attended. Swimming, boating, fishing, athletics, outdoor cooking, bible study, musicals, and Vaudeville shows kept the boys busy from sunrise until sunset.  

Each summer, the camp had a different name which included Camp Scholefield, Camp Sprague and Camp Lawton, named to pay tribute to the superintendent of the camp that particular year.  Cost to attend at the time was $ 4.50 per week or $ 8.00 for two weeks.  An additional fee of 50 cents provided transportation to camp from Providence.  

The camp received its first motorized vehicle which was a truck, in 1920.  Prior to receiving this gift, the only means of transportation for camp was a motorboat called the “Bobbie C.”  That same year, the first tennis court was constructed.

The first “Gypsy Trip” was organized in 1931.  A horse-drawn wagon owned by a local farmer would come to camp, load up kids and supplies and venture out into the wilds of South County for a three-day wilderness excursion.

During the Summer of 2021, at the height of Covid, there was a movie filmed at camp called

“Over/Under”.  The film premiered at the San Francisco Film Festival to a sold-out theater and was then selected for another showing at the Provincetown Film Festival.  It was also shown internationally at the Deauville Film Festival in France.

The sun never sets on Sun Prod.  This annual event has taken place each summer for over fifty years.  A permanent stage was built which replaced the flat bed on the old green truck, Sugar Mountain is still a crowd favorite and Short Mort continues to entertain everyone in attendance.

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