National Recognition of our beloved camp! ❤️ 🏕️ ❤️

We are very excited to announce that as of January 2024, NWOCYC is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

NWOCYC (remembered by many as Camp Pittenger) is of local and national significance through its vibrant history as a YMCA camp from 1931 to 1978, before we purchased the property. First known as Camp Sandusky (established by the Findlay YMCA in 1931), the property became Camp Pittenger when purchased by the Tiffin YMCA in 1938. What truly sets Camp Pittenger apart is the amazing and important history with disabled campers. From 1940 to 1978 the Ohio Society for Crippled Children (OSCC, which became the Easter Seals) operated an annual camping program at Camp Pittenger for disabled children and teenagers. Each August, for nearly four decades, campers with physical and intellectual disabilities lived in community, participated in adaptive recreation, and built connections with other disabled peers from across the state of Ohio. Several old black and white pictures can be found in the Photos tab at nwocyc.org. Excited to uncover this rich history of Camp Pittenger, we have been reestablishing relationships with locals and recording oral histories from former campers and staff to preserve their stories for future generations.

After a yearlong application process to honor the mid-century YMCA and Easter Seals histories, we have just been awarded this national designation of historical significance.

We prayerfully anticipate this will open historical avenues of financial support for our older structures. Additionally, this in no way limits our ability to modify our property as deemed necessary by the Board of Trustees, such as building the new dining hall.

These are indeed exciting times for our camp. We are so thankful for the rich history as we joyfully anticipate a bright and blessed future.