History
Camp Speers-Eljabar was founded in 1950. It was the first YMCA camp founded and publicly promoted to serve an interracial constituency. was founded in 1948 by north-central New Jersey YMCAs to provide the first inter-racial overnight camp in the YMCA system.
The original site consisted of 310 acres and was purchased in 1948. The purpose was to provide an adventure in intercultural Christian living offering a short term experience for all boys of the middle and lower economic group. In 1951, it was formally named Camp James M. Speers after a conscientious philanthropist and distinguished member of the New York City business community as well as community leader in Montclair, New Jersey.
Camp Eljabar, originally Camp Nichecronk consisting of 700 acres, was purchased in 1964 and provided opportunities for girls. In 1967, due to the generous support of the Eljabar Foundation, the camp was named Camp Eljabar for Girls. The name Eljabar is derived from the first syllable of the first names of the daughters of Charles and Florence Wallace, Elizabeth, Jane, Barbara, founders of the Eljabar Foundation.
From 1948 -1969, the camp had been operating as an entity of the Central Atlantic Area Council of YMCAs to serve associations that had no camp of their own, to provide low cost camping and to offer interracial camping experiences. In March 1969, the administrative committee set in motion a process to make the organization an independent YMCA.
What began as a summer only camp has grown to a year-round program serving close to 10,000 children and families each year, most from northern New Jersey. We remain true to our founding spirit by promoting diversity across the racial, religious and socio-economic lines that divide most New Jersey communities today.
