A Legacy of Belonging • 1901–2026
For 125 summers, Camp Jewell YMCA has been a place where friendships spark, confidence grows, and generations return to find their second home.
Our journey began on the shores of Tunxis Island, traveled north to the forests of Swanzey, New Hampshire, and eventually made its way to the foothills of the Berkshires Colebrook, Connecticut, where camp thrives today.
From canvas tents to cozy cabins, from simple waterfront days to the expansive year-round programming we know now, every step of our path has been shaped by the campers, counselors, families, and alumni who carry the spirit of camp wherever life leads them.
Scroll through the timeline to follow the memories, milestones, and magic that make Camp Jewell YMCA the place “where you belong.”
Because 125 Summers of Friendship Deserve to Be Remembered
S’more Than a Century of Fun
1901 A SMALL BEGINNING
THE BEGINNING
Camp Jewell was founded by the Hartford YMCA in 1901 on the shores of Tunxis Island in Long Island Sound with three tents, cooking utensils and a pair of rowboats. It was named after Colonel Charles A. Jewell, the president of the Hartford Y at the time, because he contributed $150 toward those supplies for that inaugural year of camp.
