09/02/2026
There are a few human-made things that are deeply associated with nearly every summer camp - bunkbeds, the campfire area, the dining hall, and, I would add, the camp bell.
I have worked at six different summer camps and attended one other. They all had bells and they seem like they've all been at their camps since forever. The bell is meal times, fire drill, cabin time. It's the camp schedule and the heart of daily life. The sound of your camp's bell inhabits a special corner in every camper's memories.
Ocean Park's bell is 34" in diameter and weighs 487 pounds. It was cast some time between 1875-1930 by C.S. Bell Co. of Hillsboro, Ohio. I don't know when or from where the bell arrived at camp, but it was almost certainly a church bell. The earliest photo I can find is the one that I've posted from 1972.
But it may have been around much earlier. That's the thing about the camp bell. It occupies a particular place in our hearts, but it is also taken for granted. No one takes pictures of the bell when we have these beautiful trees and vast ocean to marvel at. The bell is taken for granted and, sometimes, neglected.
The NOMADS are here and they have set that to right by giving some love to our clangy camp companion. It was pressure washed, primed and given a fresh coat of paint for the first time in 25 years. The bell tower was also evaluated and some reinforced and replaced as needed.
The bell is back to it's former glory and maybe that new, red paint will make you take a bit more notice the next time your here.
