Rescue Rockwood: How a Group of Determined Girl Scouts Rallied to Save a Beloved National Camp

First it was a camp, then it became a cause.

Located 15 miles outside Washington, DC, along Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal, Rockwood was the country home of Washington real estate developer Carolyn Gangwer Caughey. She purchased the land for its rolling hills, the lush cedar, tulip poplar, and oak trees, and the many birds and wildflowers. She chose the name Rockwood due to the sparkling gold-flecked rocks dotting the edges of a small, clear brook.

Mrs. Caughey (pronounced "Coy") bequeathed her sizable estate, including Rockwood, to the national Girl Scouts organization upon her death in 1936. Once the property was converted from mansion to camp, Rockwood became a national hub of Girl Scouting. Between 1938 and 1978, more than half a million girls spent at least one night at Rockwood. The camp hosted adult training workshops, campers of all skill levels, sightseeing troops, special programs drawing girls from across the country, school groups, church groups, and international visitors. Even the Boy Scouts loved coming to Rockwood.

Rockwood was a gathering place for all Girl Scouts. Making new friends was as important as seeing the White House. At a time when few families could afford international travel, and most Americans could go their entire lives without meeting a "foreigner," Rockwood expanded their world. A troop from a bleak Pennsylvania coal mining town could meet "a real live Girl Guide from England," who spent the day sightseeing with them. While segregation persisted, Rockwood was a place where a White troop from Louisiana could invite a Black troop from Ohio to an evening campfire program and discover they knew the same songs and stories.

But Rockwood always suffered from an identity crisis. It was a national property located within the physical territory of the local, Washington, DC, council. It was an extremely popular and convenient camp for local troops, most of whom assumed it belonged to the local council. Local staff and troops arranged events there nearly every weekend, and local volunteers helped with upkeep. For most of the camp's existence, GSUSA left governance to a Rockwood Committee; a national body comprised of local volunteers.

In 1978, GSUSA abruptly announced that it intended to sell Rockwood to a residential real estate developer. Councils were blindsided by the move. No one even knew that a sale was being considered. Many Girl Scouts protested the news, as did Rockwood's non-Scout neighbors. But plans to sell the entire camp were thwarted by a grassroots group formed outside of the Girl Scout system. The group took the name "Rescue Rockwood" and began raising legal funds with garage sales, bake sales, patch sales, and private donations. Nine individuals-seven adults and two girls-filed a class action lawsuit against GSUSA to block the sale. After four years, the parties reached a compromise, whereby one-fifth of the camp would be preserved as a county park and conference center. Today, Rockwood Manor is a popular wedding site-and many brides serve Girl Scout cookies to her guests.