Watch footage from a visiting day featuring a Camp Fuller Carnival. Turtle races, motorcycle rides, carnival games and fun at the waterfront are all on display here.

In the early days, before everyone had a car, getting to Camp Fuller was an adventure.

Camp Fuller was in full swing again this summer. Enjoy this video slide show to see Camp Fuller in action in 2023.

Three members of the Camp Fuller Archive Project Committee were invited back to Camp as part of the Summer 2023 staff training week.

Since the early days as a traveling camp that moved around Rhode Island, Camp Fuller has always found a home on the water.This proximity has translated into boating always being the mainstay of the summer camp program.This film showcases many of the Fuller boats over the years and the role they played in camp life since the late 1800’s.

A big “Thank You” to our subscribers who have supported the Camp Fuller Archive Project since we launched in October, 2020. From the beginning, our goal was to bring you back to Camp Fuller with old photos, stories, songs, folklore and the shared memories of our time at this wonderful place on Point Judith Pond.

When the Greater Providence YMCA was preparing to re-locate, their collection of archival materials needed a new home. Many photos, documents, journals and records dating back over one hundred years would have to be sorted through, cataloged and stored in a secure place where the public could still have access to them. Steve Palmer was instrumental in finding a home for these priceless pieces of history which chronicled the history of the Providence YMCA and Camp Fuller By-The-Sea.

Many of us have fond memories of visiting days. The camp was always looking tip-top for the family and friends who came to visit.

Of all the places to spend time while at camp, the last place you wanted to end up was in the infirmary. Just the name of the building stirs up unpleasant thoughts and memories, so why would you want to even walk by the ominous structure sitting atop the hill overlooking the council ring? Nobody wanted to go there, but some of us ended up there regardless.

Camp Fuller re-opened the gates after a two-year modified program. Thanks to the new leadership team of Benjamin Allis, Rachel Terceira, and Steve Stratton camp resumed with an enthusiastic staff and a full program.

You never know who is going to call the Camp Fuller office. In the spring of 2021, a message was left on the camp answering machine by Grace Gregory who was calling from Los Angeles. Grace was the producer of the movie Over/Under and was inquiring about using camp as a filming location for her upcoming film.

With any camp that has been around for over 100 years, traditions come and go. Stories and memories are passed down from one summer to the next and sometimes they just cease to exist. Before you know it, a variation pops up or a new tradition begins. These traditions are what create lasting memories, which sometimes outlast the actual tradition.

We Want Your Fuller T-shirts

The Archive Project receives emails from people who visit the website. This one, sent to us by Sherry Edmonson Snow really caught our attention not only from a generational perspective, but because it spoke about finding a family member who attended Camp Fuller in the 1930’s.

As far as we know, the Dining Hall was built in 1922. Originally referred to as “The Lodge”, this iconic building has been the centerpiece of Camp Fuller for one hundred years.

While many summer camps struggled and probably closed during the Great Depression of the 1930’s, Camp Fuller grew and flourished during this challenging time. Under the strong leadership of the camp director, John A. Cranston; an enthusiastic staff and a dedicated board at the Providence YMCA, Camp Fuller continued to offer a hearty and diverse summer program for boys.

Incredible video of Fuller taken by Alec Petros during family camp 2021.

Please welcome the new leadership team at Camp Fuller: Benjamin Allis, Executive Director; Rachel Terceira, Camp Director; and Steven Stratton, Program Director.‍We are excited to have these professionals at the helm of Camp Fuller as it begins its 135th year! Together they will bring new ideas, new programs and new perspectives balanced with the traditions that have kept Camp Fuller thriving for all these years.

Sitting quietly on the fireplace hearth of the Ad Building is a bronze statue of a man holding what appears to be a tool of some sort (possibly a scythe). Between his feet is a bundle of wheat, suggesting that the man was a farmer or laborer. The statue stands about thirty inches tall on a wood base. Attached to the base is an engraved plaque, which, in part reads “Presented by the Board of Directors of the Providence Young Men’s Christian Association to Frederic H. Fuller”.

Hurricane Bob was one of the costliest hurricanes in New England History. The first and only major storm of the 1991 Atlantic Hurricane season originated in the Bahamas on August 16, 1991. It hit Camp Fuller and the Rhode Island coast on August 19 as a Category 2 storm and caused a heap of damage to the area. Camp Fuller mostly dodged its devastating winds, rain and high tides, but did not come out unscathed. Fortunately, camp was secured as best as possible and evacuated to the nearby roller skating rink. Kids and staff took minimal belongings with them and hunkered down to ride out the big storm.

CAMP FULLER RE-OPENS FOR A FULL SUMMER 2022 PROGRAM

These photos were taken several years ago by Don Bousquet and Son Aerial Photography. Take a look at some unique views of camp on a beautiful summer day.

There are few people from Camp Fuller who can check as many boxes as Steve Palmer. Starting at age seven as a camper and spending twelve years at camp working as a counselor and Sailing Master, Steve’s years at camp began a trajectory in the YMCA that took him around the world. Asked about his rise to the very top of the YMCA of the USA, Steve will immediately reflect on his time at Fuller as a young boy and those who were instrumental in his journey.

From time to time, we will feature excerpts from social media posts. This first in a series got a lot of attention with people finally telling their stories about the stuff they did at camp while they were supposed to be doing other things.

Among the many vehicles that have been a part of Camp Fuller’s fleet, the one that has a special place in many of our hearts was the green Camp Truck. The one I remember from my years at Fuller was a 1968 Ford F-600, stake bed truck. It was painted Holly Green, with dual rear wheels, a 330 V-8 engine, 4-speed manual transmission and a custom 12-foot stake bed, from Jannell Truck Body of Woonsocket, RI. It replaced a mid 1950’s International Harvester R Series truck with much the same layout.

In grateful recognition of all those who contributed to this campaign

For many of us, the name Fuller is part of the camp landscape. Few of us have ever wondered how this place actually got its name. Perhaps this short story will shed some light on that unanswered question….

What we all know as Camp Fuller By-The-Sea actually had a short history as Camp Lawton. Founded in 1887, Camp Lawton had several locations throughout Rhode Island including North Scituate and Hog Island off the shores of Bristol. It was re-located to its current location on Point Judith Pond in Wakefield in 1912 and re-named Camp Fuller in 1914. The legacy and re-naming of the camp makes Fuller one of the oldest camps in the country. Our knowledge of Camp Lawton has been known, but the discovery of an old brochure printed in 1912 brings its history to light.

We never know what we will find in the many boxes of material that was stored in the Ad Building for decades. From what we can gather, these old movies were recorded in the late 50’s or early 60’s at camp. We are guessing that they were taken during a Visiting Day to showcase the range of activities, campers and staff at Camp Fuller.

Since Camp Fuller’s founding in 1887, family traditions have been at the heart of Camp’s culture. Over the past 134 years, countless families and their members have attended Fuller to enjoy its unique salt water camping experience and to grow mind, body and spirit. First-born children would venture to Fuller, adjust to living away from their families, and quickly become passionate about their new “Fuller family” and all it had to offer. Their younger siblings would often follow in their footsteps. In many cases, campers evolved into the next generation of Fuller counselors and leaders, passionately influencing the lives of their campers as they had been influenced before them. Fuller has been a “family affair” for many.

There has to be something really special about a place and an experience that evokes the kind of love, affection and positive memories that Camp Fuller brings out in all of us. For me, the friendships, the waterfront and the sailing program have had lifelong positive impact. Lifelong. When I saw my first sailing master Barlow two Springs ago with a group of other alumni, it was remarkably meaningful, and I told him so.

There is nothing quite like getting a letter from your kid who is away at summer camp. These were often written under duress from a counselor or the camp director who insisted that letters be used in exchange for the evening meal. In other words: no letter, no food.

I was at camp for 8 summers from the mid-60s to the mid-70s (1967 - 1974) and played a lot of guitar, and sang, too. When I first arrived in Junior Division in 1967, I already knew how to play a bunch of songs that were on the radio by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, Young Rascals and many more. Campers and counselors were OK with me practicing and playing these tunes in our tent.

According to an article in the Providence Journal from August, 1962 a group of six youths from Camp Fuller left Worden’s Pond at 10:30 in the morning and started their 33 mile canoe trip down the Pawcatuck River. According to Ted Ressler, Camp Director at the time “This was a pioneer party.”

This letter was sent to the Archive Project by Joe Shapiro who was a Fuller camper, staff member and later served on the Board. Joe found this letter in some of his memorabilia and wanted to share it with all of us.

What better way to spend part of your summer than by going back to re-live some of your memories with your family and friends. Spend a few nights in your old Sherman cabin with your kids or grandkids. Jump in the salt water, go for a sail, make a lanyard, shoot some hoops up on the Hill, or just read a book on the swimming beach. Run the road, kayak out to the island, fly a kite and roast marshmallows on an open fire. Sing some of your old favorites and teach them to the next generation while telling camp stories and enjoying the fresh salt air that surrounds Fuller.

Greenie is real. He is an escaped convicted killer from Maine’s Shawshank Penitentiary. The same one that was later made into a movie. His name was John Henry. He escaped in early Spring and was from the South.

Lester H. Clee was Camp Fuller’s first director serving from 1912-1915. We are guessing that he was probably the first person to welcome the brand-new group of boys who ventured down the camp road shortly after Camp Lawton was re-named and Fuller had a new home on Point Judith Pond.

For four generations of Sundins, Camp Fuller has provided lifetimes of summer memories. The first was my great-grandfather, Roger Sundin, Sr. who started attending Camp Fuller in 1935. My great-grandfather, Roger Sundin, Sr. told me of his favorite memories when he was a kid and playing here at Camp Fuller and these experiences are just like mine, well kind of. He tells me of great food his favorite being chicken patties (which are still amazing even to this day), platform tents, a lot of time in the water, swimming in the freezing lake, using sailboats, and that the arts n crafts were not the greatest. He still thinks about these memories even to this day.

The Camp Fuller Archive Project began about four years ago and was originally intended to be a printed book about the history of Camp Fuller. Rick Gaddes had been formulating some ideas on how a history book could be published and used as a fund-raiser for camperships. He started finding boxes of old photos, documents, yearbooks, and memorabilia that had been tucked away in different corners of the Ad Building.

Hi! My name is Sophia Elliott, I am a proud Camp Fuller alumnus, attending from 2004-2017 as both a camper and staff member. In 2017, I finally retired my gorgeous staff polo to join the “real world” as a freshly minted law student with a fading lifejacket tan. I have since graduated from NYU School of Law and will be joining the Women’s Law Project in Philadelphia as a Fellow.

If you went to Camp Fuller in the mid-1970’s then you certainly remember that there was an unusually large number of campers from Spring Valley, New York. You probably also remember that for several years there was a Spring Valley bus that took that group to and from camp. My name is Myra Scher, and my sons Steven and Bobby attended Camp Fuller from 1968-1976 (Steven) and 1969-1976 (Bobby). I can shed some light on the reason there were so many campers from Spring Valley (and Rockland County, NY), as well as how the Spring Valley bus came to be; after all, the bus was my idea!

Our thanks to Dan Swain and Chris Hyer for their work on the Camp Fuller Virtual Council Fire which was produced and broadcast virtually on August 22, 2020. “Sugar Mountain” was recorded at camp for this special council fire by Max Shakun, Tom McDonald, Alex Borts, Scott Rasmussen and Maddy Wood. Thanks to this special group of Fuller alumni who brought this classic back into our hearts during the pandemic. It will always remind us of our summers at camp.

Council Fires have a long history at Camp Fuller. Written within the pages of the 1932 yearbook, called “The Log” is a brief story of a council fire which took place that year on August second. Many campers had left Fuller to go on overnight expeditions to Worden’s Pond, Quonochontaug and the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Those who remained at camp gathered in the social hall.

Camp Fuller has grown and prospered over the years due to the tireless dedication of many people. Some have been volunteers, some paid employees and some have donated money to Fuller. Most have done so quietly without seeking recognition for their contributions.

In the Summer of 1963, I was eight years old and I went to Camp Fuller for the first time. At that time Camp had four two-week sessions. I went to the second session that began before the 4th of July. I was a Sherman Division Camper in Cabin 3. My next-door neighbor Steven Himmelfarb was my CIT. At lunch on Sunday at the beginning of my second week, the kitchen door (a Dutch door) flew open and this scruffy Pirate roared out into the mess hall. At eight years old, this was a bit scary.

A grace is often defined as a short prayer or thankful phrase said before or after eating a meal. A meal at Camp Fuller would not seem right without first taking a few minutes to recite a four-line blessing before sitting down in the Dining Hall for some delicious camp food. Little is actually known about the origins of our three graces. We do know that they are not unique to Fuller and are recited throughout the country at other summer camps and gatherings.

Although many other programs make up the list of camp activities during the summer, few are more popular than the sailing program. The first sailboat, named "Oswald" arrived at Fuller in 1928. A second, named "Goblin" followed in 1929, and a third, "The Blue Streak" came along in 1932.

 A partial telling of the legend of Greenie as told on the Camp Fuller CD by Matt Stark

The Story of The Walker as told by Ben Degen in 1994.

Over the years, hundreds of kids have quietly come to camp through the generosity of others. At any given time in a family, financial challenges may prevent a young person from attending camp. Somehow, some way word gets to those in charge that a family is facing a hardship and may not be able to afford camp that summer. Decisions are made for all the right reasons, the tide changes and the next thing you know that child is coming down the camp road. Nobody asks questions and discretion always plays a major role in awarding a campership to a needy child.

Whenever I get together with my old friends from Camp Fuller, the conversation inevitably comes around to trying to answer the question, “What made Camp so special?”I can’t speak from direct experience about any decade except the 1960’s. I literally grew up at Camp then, starting as a Sherman Division camper and completing my years at Fuller as the Sherman Division Leader. I’d like to share with you what distinguished the Camp Fuller experience for me.

There is something about the sound of the Fuller Bell that evokes memories in all of us. Whether it was a call to Morning Line Up, any of the three meals, or a special camp event, the commanding clang got everyone to where they were supposed to be in a timely manner. The bell was somewhat of a revered instrument at camp….something you walked by, but did not touch unless summoned to do so.

You can’t get to the camp gates without first traveling down the Camp Road. The rustic two-lane (sometimes one) dirt path that winds and turns its way through the woods, past the farm and old stone walls is part of the Camp Fuller experience. Although only approximately 1.2 miles long, when you are running it, it seems like 26.2.

My dad played "Taps". He played the trumpet. And he played the bugle. Just in case you don't know a bugle is a trumpet without valves. All pitch control is from the player's "embouchure". His lips. Most of you know my dad was Ted Ressler. He was Camp Fuller director through most of the 1960's. He did not learn to play the bugle in the military. He learned in school and honed his skill as a Boy Scout.

Since the early days of Camp Fuller, having a dedicated leadership team has been crucial to the success of the camp. The Camp Director has always been at the helm to provide a vision for the future and chart a course for moving forward. From capital improvements to training and the implementation of a safe and exciting program for the campers and staff, the director has always worn a variety of hats from CEO to song leader and most often the first hand shaken as you come through the gate. Our directors have always lead by example and taken camp through some difficult times with a commitment to the Fuller Spirit.

All institutions, regardless of age, have a history that is made up of facts, significant dates, people, and often times, stories that cannot always be validated. Regardless, the history of Camp Fuller often resides in our memories which tend to change over time. Our goal in writing the history of Camp Fuller is to be as accurate as possible based on old documents, photos, printed publications and folklore that has been passed along through the generations.

Mooning the Southland should have been a program you signed up for. For years, this “circus boat” traveled up and down the waters of Salt Pond filled with curious on-lookers out for a day on the water. Promoted as one of the most popular attractions in Rhode Island, we all know how this salt water river boat earned that reputation.

Although the Camp Fuller Council Ring may be unique to our camp landscape and culture, the design and use of council rings can be traced to ancient Viking and Native American villages where they were used for public gatherings. The circular design which has a small opening at one end, invites people to come together and sit as equals. Everyone can see each other and look into the eyes of their neighbor. This seating arrangement allowed for group participation with nobody actually seated at the head of the table.

When people think of their Camp Fuller memories and iconic places, the Dining Hall immediately comes to mind. In the early days, campers and staff helped with the meal preparation and often cooked outside on an open fire. Meals were served in a tent, rain or shine.

This short article was written from a 1928 Providence YMCA newsletter which featured Camp Fuller entering a new season. Some things don’t change, some do…. “Camp Fuller Prepares for Seventeenth Season”.

Anyone who has been to Camp Fuller in the past 50 years has probably heard of Sun Prod. This event has been held and celebrated every summer at camp since 1970. For those who may have missed the inaugural event, perhaps this story might shed some light on the original festival, how it got its name and how it has survived the test of time.

Welcome to The Official Camp Fuller Archive Project, a living history of a beloved place many of us have called home for generations. My name is Kate Messier and I am the current director of Camp Fuller. This website is a repository for all things about Camp Fuller. Our goal was to create an on-going and interactive collection of the hundreds of old photos, stories, songs and music, traditions and memories that have all made up the fabric of Fuller since its inception in 1887.

As the sun peeks over the roofs of the Sherman Division cabins, the youngest girl campers begin to stir and awaken. Similarly, the Point Judith Lodge is seeing the same thing with the youngest boys in Camp. The cabins will soon be an organized chaos of getting dressed, making their beds, going to the Palace to freshen up and soon one camper from each cabin will head to the Mess Hall to set up their respective breakfast tables.

My summer experiences at Camp Fuller has had a profound effect on the person I became and the choices I made in life. Being in my senior stage in life, it is easier for me to now reflect on those experiences that shaped my life, my values, and the person I became. Camp Fuller was a major player in this for me.

The original Flag Hill was situated atop a small hill between the current Ad Building and the Infirmary. There were six flag poles, cemented into the ground (five for the foreign flags and a slightly taller pole out front to fly the American flag). According to an old program, what we knew as “Flag Hill” was constructed in 1945 through funds donated by the Cranston Rotary Club. A ceremony which was referred to as “The Dedication of the Flags of The United Nations” was held on August 1, 1945.