History 1930's

In the 1930's Camp Russell received more property from the Russell family. On September 15, 1931 Samuel T. Russell's children donated about two and a half acres of land adjoining camp and fronting White Lake. On September 14, 1932 Albert Russell gave the deed to four acres of land along White Lake to Camp Russell. With these new additions of land the camp was able to expand its waterfront to 900 feet.

A newspaper article from May 30, 1933 detailed some of the upcoming summer events at Camp Russell. These events included "a camp circus, the annual minstrel show, participation in the Central Adirondack boys' camp athletic meet and a new feature, a family picnic." This picnic, for the parents of campers or would be campers, allowed families to spend the day enjoying the camp's facilities. The newspaper article also described the waterfront program at camp and how the waterfront staff stressed the importance of swimming skills, water safety, and lifesaving procedures. The slogan of the waterfront, since the camp began, was "every camper a swimmer, every swimmer a lifesaver."

In 1934 the Herkimer County Council changed its name to the General Herkimer Council, honoring the famous Revolutionary War general who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Oriskany. The council served all the boys of southern Herkimer County and northern Otsego County.

A new modern convenience was bought for the kitchen in 1937, an electric refrigeration machine. This allowed Camp Russell to use the buildings that had served as the ice house and refrigerator for new functions. The old refrigerator building became the camp store and the ice house became a craft shop.

During a meeting of the directors of Camp Russell Inc., on February 2, 1938, a representative from the Upper Mohawk Council, formerly known as the Utica Council, announced the council's intentions to leave Camp Russell after the 1938 camping season. Citing decreasing attendance on their part and the increasing costs of operating and maintaining Camp Russell, the Upper Mohawk Council felt it was in their best interests to develop their own summer camp, Camp Ballou. In 1939 the General Herkimer Council took over the operation of Camp Russell.

Another organization became prominent at Camp Russell during the 1930's, the Order of the White Swastika. This as a Camp Russell honor fraternity for outstanding scouts based upon the traditions of the American Indian, the swastika being an ancient Indian symbol It paralleled the Order of the Arrow in many ways. Later in the 1930's the camp honor society once again became known as Ka Mar Go, as the symbol of the swastika had became degraded by Nazi Germany.