The Outpost
Our current project is remodeling "The Ice Cream Parlor" into "The Outpost". The Outpost will be a coffee and souvenir shop as well as our main customer service headquarters. If you need help with anything The Outpost will be your first stop.
THE DREAM
Since 1951, when the property was purchased, this historic building has served as the Camp Maranatha office, ice cream parlor, staff lounge, and camp museum. The Outpost will create a space for campers to fellowship, read and study, buy apparel, purchase sundries, and of course, enjoy some coffee. Lastly, it will allow our staff to better serve campers by providing a central location to get information, check out sports equipment, or just ask a question .
If you would like to be a part of making this project a reality please use the button below to donate.
HOW IT STARTED
Before camp was founded this building served as the office for the saw mill that once operated on the property. While we're not sure exactly how old this building is we estimate that it should be close to a century old. Remodeled in 1996 into The Ice Cream Parlor, it was then dedicated to Errol Hunt, Camp Maranatha's first Director. Over the years we have seen less and less use from this beautiful and centrally located piece of camp history. Unwilling to see this trend continue we began the journey of making The Outpost a central part of the Camp Maranatha experience. This meant, literally, starting from the ground up in making sure that The Outpost meets modern safety standards.
HOW IT'S GOING
Work began in late 2024, starting with demolition to expose the foundation and core structural elements. We found that the building didn't have a foundation. This century old construction was in need of significant reinforcement. The scale of this project escalated quickly. Once the key problems were identified we were able to get to work on fixing them. The old building was lifted with house jacks in order for us to pour a foundation underneath. Once this was completed we were able to pour a concrete slab floor and move on to reinforce the ceiling structure. All of the old trusses and beams were removed and replaced. Now, structurally sound, we are running utilities and preparing to install insulation, drywall, and a tongue and groove ceiling.
