Lac Le Jeune (Fish Lake or Trout Lake) History - The Baby Camp

Here are some interested snippets about Lac Le Jeune's early history.

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A note of Isobel Maclean (daughter of Sidney C. Burton and his wife Jane Ann) written - June 1996

Lac Le Jeune - The Baby Camp 

Several people have asked me if I remember the Baby Camp at Trout Lake. 

I do have memories of it but am afraid this information may be a bit inaccurate. 

The year was probably 1912? The idea was to give babies and young children a place to recover from childhood ills aggravated by the Kamloops heat. 

The camp sponsored by a church group (?) was half way along the back road on the down side. It consisted of wooden platforms with a tent over the ridge pole, each had a stove. There were at least six of these. 

Tents were taken down over the winter but the platforms remained. This camp did not last too many years. The women probably got too lonely or found it a hardship, carrying water from the lake and cooking and caring for small children in primitive conditions. 

The tents finally disappeared and the platforms left to the elements and any camper who needed a few bits of lumber. 

Those remaining platforms were a great place to play! 

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From the Kamloops Standard - 04 November 1913 - p. 11 - Tuesday

Lac Le Jeune - Fish Lake - Babies' Summer Camp - 1913 

Babies' Summer Camp -- Donations Are Urgently Needed for Valuable Work

The following is the financial statement of the "Babies' Summer Camp" that was established this summer at Fish Lake by some of our prominent lady citizens. The receipts from subscriptions paid up are $521.75, to which can be added $48.50 for subscriptions promised but not yet collected.

There will, therefore, be a total of $570.25 receipts while expenditures for the building, six house tents and furnishings amount to $621.25, leaving a deficit of $51 which has to be met.

The committee consisting of Mesdames H.M. Fulton, Harriet A. Syme, V.T. Lee, E.J. Lee, F.E.H. Morley will be glad to receive more subscriptions as there are many other things that are required yet for the camp. The committee also wish to thank all those who have already so generously subscribed towards the movement which is an estimable one in every way.

~ submitted by Neil Burton