Oswego’s Camp Hollis: Haven by the Lake

On a tree-covered bluff overlooking Lake Ontario, a summer camp has been a haven for children for nearly a century. Originally known as the Oswego County Health Camp and then as Camp Hollis, the retreat has brought joy to thousands of campers throughout the region. It was founded by a doctor working to create a summer getaway for children at risk of contracting tuberculosis in the early 1900s. In the 1940s, a family court judge believed deeply in the camp’s ability to improve the lives of children from difficult circumstances, establishing the camp and its traditions that carry on today. Author Jim Farfaglia recalls the history of Camp Hollis from the local leaders who built it to fond memories of campers and counselors.