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Camp Horseshoe Campwide Games

———— EXHIBIT ————

Time to Read:

2–3 minutes
< Campwide Activities

“During the gold rush it’s a good time to be in the pick and shovel business.”
–Mark Twain

Exhibit Details

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening during a summer camp week, the camp turns into one big game as Scouts scavenge, hunt, perform, run, tackle, jump and a host of other verbs in their quest to be the top patrol or troop that night.

Displays in this Exhibit:

Tour Stop

Basically a talent show that goes off the rails, here are some pictures of the campwide game that was popular in the 1970s and occasionally gets a reprise in later years.
Gong Show Pictures
Speculators get their hard-earned cash and then spend it on all manner of things during Camp Horseshoe's Boomtown. Speculators get their hard-earned cash and then spend it on all manner of things during Camp Horseshoe's Boomtown.
Boomtown
A popular campwide game that started in the mid-forties was the Gold Rush where campers would pan for gold in the Octoraro.  That evening, the Scouts would gather in Kindness Center for a Boomtown. A popular campwide game that started in the mid-forties was the Gold Rush where campers would pan for gold in the Octoraro.  That evening, the Scouts would gather in Kindness Center for a Boomtown. A popular campwide game that started in the mid-forties was the Gold Rush where campers would pan for gold in the Octoraro.  That evening, the Scouts would gather in Kindness Center for a Boomtown.
Gold Rush
Paul Bunyan field day is a Camp Horseshoe tradition that goes back to the very beginning of camp. Participants try their best in a variety of camp craft skills and pioneering skills and skills he would probably not need anywhere else in life, like eating giant pancakes. Paul Bunyan field day is a Camp Horseshoe tradition that goes back to the very beginning of camp. Participants try their best in a variety of camp craft skills and pioneering skills and skills he would probably not need anywhere else in life, like eating giant pancakes. Paul Bunyan field day is a Camp Horseshoe tradition that goes back to the very beginning of camp. Participants try their best in a variety of camp craft skills and pioneering skills and skills he would probably not need anywhere else in life, like eating giant pancakes.
Paul Bunyan Field Day
The Camp Horseshoe Water Carnival takes place every other week during summer camp, and it is full of competitions ranging from your average swimming race, to triathlons, bellyflop contests, and kayak jousting. It is truly a sight to behold! The Camp Horseshoe Water Carnival takes place every other week during summer camp, and it is full of competitions ranging from your average swimming race, to triathlons, bellyflop contests, and kayak jousting. It is truly a sight to behold! The Camp Horseshoe Water Carnival takes place every other week during summer camp, and it is full of competitions ranging from your average swimming race, to triathlons, bellyflop contests, and kayak jousting. It is truly a sight to behold!
Water Carnival
A wide-variety of images, videos, and documents for Camp Horseshoe campwide games. A wide-variety of images, videos, and documents for Camp Horseshoe campwide games. A wide-variety of images, videos, and documents for Camp Horseshoe campwide games.
Miscellaneous

Gong Show Pictures

Display Details

Basically a talent show that goes off the rails, here are some pictures of the campwide game that was popular in the 1970s and occasionally gets a reprise in later years.

Link to stand-alone gallery

Boomtown

Display Details

Speculators get their hard-earned cash and then spend it on all manner of things during Camp Horseshoe’s Boomtown.

Pictures
Videos

Pictures

Link to stand-alone gallery

Videos

Boomtown on the Parade Field
If the weather’s nice, and the gold is plentiful, the staff holds a Boomtown down on the parade field with lots of lights, music, dancing… and gold!
2005 – Contributed by Anonymous
Boomtown Square Dance
Scouts and staff dance around as the Emcee serenades the lot with his twangy drawl.
2005 – Contributed by Anonymous
Boomtown Show
Clarke Green, Ed Milner and other staffers provide a fabulous international-flavored show for those willing to spend their hard-earned boomtown bucks.
1992 – Contributed by Andrew Smith
Boomtown Singing
These Scouts seem to have won a Boomtown prize where they have to sing “Don’t Stop Believing” to the audience.
2012 – Contributed by Anonymous

Gold Rush

Display Details

A popular campwide game that started in the mid-forties was the Gold Rush where campers would pan for gold in the Octoraro.  That evening, the Scouts would gather in Kindness Center for a Boomtown.

Pictures
Narratives
Documents

Pictures

Link to stand-alone gallery

Narratives

This article first appeared in the July 2001 issue of the HSRAA newsletter, The Octoraro Loop.
1944 – Contributed by John B. Rettew III


Yes GOLD! The year was 1944 (and numerous years since then) that gold was found in the bed of the Octoraro Creek near the Swinging Bridge (OA) and the Boat Docks that then were off the Horseshoe Athletic Field

Gold fever was rampant through each of the five stockade camps as news arrived during the afternoon ‘siesta’. The campers were mobilized for the search for the precious stone – it was like 1849 and the Gold Rush of that earlier day. Scouts were in a frenzy…leaders did not know what to do to hold their minions back from rushing to the Creek! Finally, Program Director J. Holland Heck and Camp Director Frank Beam coolly issued the plan to the assembled camp so that all could enjoy the wealth the gold would surely bring!

Each Stockade was given instructions that they were to proceed to the Creek in bathing suits and old shoes with appropriate buckets to pan for the gold. When they got to the Creek, each unit was to stake out their claim in the Creek. “Revenooers” were there to make sure there was no claim jumping. Once the gold was found, the unit was to proceed to the Assayer’s Office where the gold would be weighed and exchanged for “money.”

Well, I can remember mucking from here to there for some time before my bunkmates and I came up with the gold rock! We turned it in and were richly rewarded!

That night, in Kindness Center, a Boom Town was built with all sorts of games of chance (and skill) where we could spend our newly found riches!

What a day! What a fun time for a first year camper as well as those who had been to camp for many years!

Documents

This script was used by staff to promote – over multiple days – the Gold Rush event that was popular in the early days of Camp Horseshoe!
Contributed by G. Ernest Heegard

Paul Bunyan Field Day

Display Details

Paul Bunyan field day is a Camp Horseshoe tradition that goes back to the very beginning of camp. Participants try their best in a variety of camp craft skills and pioneering skills and skills he would probably not need anywhere else in life, like eating giant pancakes.

See Also

Click HERE to see a YouTube channel chronicling the skills it takes to be a Paul Bunyan Field Day champion.

Pictures
Videos
Memorabilia

Pictures

Link to stand-alone gallery

All
Black and WhiteClimbingColorDanceEatingFireKnotsPaul BunyanStaffStrength

Videos

Two-Man Saw Competition
In this event, a youth and an adult leader from a troop must compete for the best time to saw off a “chip” from an immense log.
2008 – Contributed by Andrew Coe
Time Lapse – Paul Bunyan Field Day
This time lapse video shows Paul Bunyan Field Day (week 3) in its entirety.
2010 – Contributed by Andrew Keyes
Merry-Go Round
Strictly speaking, this is not a PBFD event, but I am sure they could make a competition to see who can stay on the longest.
2010 – Contributed by Evan Ellwanger
Log Chopping
Youth from each troop must relay an axe and give 2 swift chops to a log, with the first troop to chop all the way through winning.
2008 – Contributed by Andrew Coe
Paul Bunyan Look-Alike Contest
Paul Bunyans from across the camp came to participate and drag a poor blue ox named Babe around Campcraft for all to see.
2009 – Contributed by Andrew Coe
PBFD
Paul Bunyan Field Day in 1995, as fun as always, we see plenty of activity and pioneering spirit from the troops in this video.
1995 – Contributed by John B. Rettew III
Tug of War
Participants from two troops see who has the brawn to win!
2024 – Contributed by Andrew Coe
Giant Clove Hitch
Troop 10 wins the Giant Clove Hitch with a 1st place time of 11 during the 2025 Paul Bunyan Field Day – Week 3. The winning Scouts were Noah S., Joe K., Ben K., and Blaze D.
2025 – Contributed by Grayson Pitman
Tug of War
Troop 62 beats Troop 23 in Tug of War during week 1 of 2025 Paul Bunyan Field Day.
2025 – Contributed by Grayson Pitman
Paul Bunyan Field Day Winners
The Paul Bunyan Field Day winners of Week 3 of 2025 are announced.
2025 – Contributed by Grayson Pitman
Heaving Bar Competition
Aquatics Director Aaron Webster squares off against Greg C. from Campcraft at the 2025 Staff Paul Bunyan Field Day event.
2023 – Contributed by Grayson Pitman

Memorabilia

Link to stand-alone gallery

Water Carnival

Display Details

The Camp Horseshoe Water Carnival takes place every other week during summer camp, and it is full of competitions ranging from your average swimming race, to triathlons, bellyflop contests, and kayak jousting. It is truly a sight to behold!

Pictures
Videos
Memorabilia

Pictures

Link to stand-alone gallery

Videos

Scoutmaster Diving Competition
Scoutmaster A. Ray Coe of Troop 31 does a spiral back flop thingy into the Horseshoe pool during the Scoutmaster Diving Competition, renown for its big splashes and poor form.
2002 – Contributed by Anonymous
Swimming Race
Water Carnival participants race in the pool.
2002 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Synchronized Swimming
Some Scouts take part in synchronized swimming during the Water Carnival.
2002 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Water Carnival Crowd
The videographer here gets the sweeping shot of all the audience members at the Water Carnival.
2002 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Musical Chairs – H2O Edition
Participants have to grab a ball when the music stops in this watery version of the classic Musical Chairs game.
2002 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Bellyflop Contest
Lots of adults participate in this judged competition at the water carnival – for style and lack of grace (i.e., biggest splash).
2002 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Greased Pig
Scouts fight over the “greased pig” – a greased-up watermelon that is surprisingly hard to catch!
2002 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Triathlon
A mini-triathlon of swimming, biking and running is in store for the most athletic of Water Carnival participants.
2002 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Water Fight
Though not the largest in the world, this water fight does do Camp Horseshoe proud at the Water Carnival.
2002 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Mining for Gold
In 1944, one of the Water Carnival activities was “Mining for Gold” in the Octoraro Creek.
1944 – Contributed by Tom McCabe
Canoe Race
This canoe race appears to be a part of a 1944 Water Carnival competition.
1944 – Contributed by Tom McCabe

Memorabilia

Link to stand-alone gallery

Miscellaneous

Display Details

A wide-variety of images, videos, and documents for Camp Horseshoe campwide games.

Pictures
Videos
Documents

Pictures

Link to stand-alone gallery

Videos

Campwide Game Setup
Here the staff is setting up for a campwide game.
2001 – Contributed by Alexander Musto
Rock Band Scavenger Hunt
The SPLs meet with the staff to get their instructions for the start of the game.
2009 – Contributed by Andrew Coe

Documents

This letter, addressed to “The Chosen”, might have been used as a Phozz for a campwide game, though its ambiguity suggests many possibilities.  You decide.
1990 – Contributed by Andrew Coe

This flyer advertised a carnival on the Athletic Field during summer camp in 2015.
2015 – Contributed by Kevin Diestelow

Tour Stops

Action Tour

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Last updated June 26, 2026

© Horseshoe Scout Reservation Alumni Association 2025

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