Camp Bennett
Known Name(s)
Camp Bennett
Address
Belltown Rd. Glastonbury South, CT
Establishment Type(s)
Resort
Physical Status
Demolished
Detailed History
One of only two recreational camps for African American children in New England, Camp Bennett was organized around 1934 by the Independent Social Center, a Hartford group which advocated for outdoor and leisure activities for the city's black youth. The camp was located on 157 acres of former farmland next to the Meshomasic State Forest, containing a farmhouse, barn, ice house and wagon sheds, all converted for camp uses, as well as fruit trees and a lake for water activities. Many new buildings, one designed by an African American architect, were added to the campus, so that it could accommodate 200.
The camp operated for nearly two decades, into the early 1950s. Most of the acreage remains undeveloped as of 2023, and it is possible that some camp buildings survive. The Green Book listings suggest that families were welcome as well, and an undated flyer for the camp called it "The SUMMER HOME for Hartford Negroes."
Sources: http://www.ctfreedomtrail.org/resource-library/site-of-the-month?month=2012-7; not a trail site, info. See flyer in University of Akron archives, https://search.alexanderstreet.com/preview/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cbibliographic_details%7C2745919
