Camp Foss had its inception in late May 1919. The president of the University of New Hampshire, Ralph D. Hetzel invited several interested men in Strafford County to meet with him and the State YMCA Secretary to consider the organization of a County YMCA.
In the spring of 1923, the Camp Committee visited several ponds and lakes in Strafford County to locate a site. Following a conversation with James H. Foss of Center Strafford, it was decided to look at the shore of “Big” Willey Pond, which had long been the picnic ground of the Strafford people of the Blue Hills. The water from this pond had furnished the power for a saw and shingle mill owned by Paul and Warren Perkins, father and uncle of Mrs. James H. Foss. The previous years, the lands around the pond had undergone lumber operation and the site where Camp Foss is now had been cluttered with a lumber camp, horse barns and a sawdust pit.
After the site had been viewed and approved by the state YMCA, the founders started out to raise the necessary $3,000 to build the camp buildings for the first session. This goal was reached and a dining hall and seven cabins were built, with the dedication being held on June 24, 1923. Two years later, enough money was raised to build the “Lodge” which was dedicated on August 23, 1925.
Camp Foss operated as a camp for boys and girls from 1923 to 1964. Since 1965, it has been a resident camp for girls from not only Strafford County but also other cities and towns in the state, as well as other states and countries.
In 2020, we started a capital campaign that has allowed us to add additional infrastructure and programming around camp including a welcome center, ninja course, and new Lakeview bathhouse, in addition to other projects around camp which will help improve the quality of our campers’ experiences. This has also allowed the Granite YMCA and camp staff to continue to have goals to work towards each year to continue to build on the 100-year-long tradition of Camp Foss.