After six years of teaching and coaching at Rollins College and the Country Day School in Newton, Massachusetts, William "Chief" Brewster and Leona "Onie" Brewster decided in the late summer of 1925 to start a boys' camp in Western Maine. Their objective was to locate their camp on the eastern shore of a clean, fresh-water lakes so that their campers could appreciated both healthy aquatic activities and also the beauty of Maine sunsets.

With the help of Clarence Morton, President of Paris Manufacturing Company and father of Helen Morton, a counselor at Camp McWain, the Brewsters and their partner, Bartlett Boyden, found just the location they were looking for in the Burton Sanderson's western pasture and maple grove on the side of McWain Hill. Near the shore, they found a graceful white birch tree growing on top of a boulder, from which the camp took its name. Birch Rock started its first season on July 1, 1926 with 13 campers and the main lodge, five cabins, an infirmary and a washhouse. Camp enrollment doubled to 26 in 1927 and tripled to 39 in 1928. Additional buildings were made to the total of 30+.

Chief and Onie Brewster remained active in running Birch Rock until their deaths in 1973 and 1982, respectively. Other Directors since then have included Mike and Phyllis Deneault (1975-79), David Weeks (1980-82), Benjamin Brewster (1982-84), Doug Dickey (1985-86), Toby Brewster (1985-92) and Brad Smith (1993-95).

Today, Birch Rock is now a Maine nonprofit corporation that has a Board of Directors of 20 interested parents and friends. A proud member of the Maine Youth Camping Association and accredited member of the American Camping Association, it operates under a lease from the Brewster Family.

Since 1996, Birch Rock has been under the leadership of Richard Deering and Michael Mattson with an expanded seven week Boys' camp program of 80 campers and 33 staff members. Additionally, Wilderness Adventure and Family Camp programs have been added and expanded to the overall camping season.

Today, Birch Rock proudly continues the traditions started in 1926 of being a camp community dedicated to the academic, athletic and personal development of young men from ages 7 - 15 from all over the world.

For a more comprehensive history of the camp, please download our full history pamphlet