History of Camp Louis Ernst

Camp Louis Ernst has been utilized for nearly 100 years as a prime camping experience for the youth of the counties of southeast Indiana. In 1928, the camp was generously placed in a trust deed to the Boy Scouts by Fritz Ernst in honor of his father, Louis Ernst. The camp opened to scouting in 1930. After nearly 40 years, the campground ended its Summer camp program in 1983. With the Summer camp moving to Bloomington’s Camp Maumee, Camp Louis Ernst lacked resources and support needed to maintain the grounds. In 2010, thirty former campers organized to help raise funds to build a new Winter cabin. Through this process the group formed Friends of Camp Louis Ernst as an official not-for-profit organization.

Intentions remarked from the original trust deed

“ to promote, through organization, and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in Scoutcraft, to teach them patriotism, courage, self reliance, and kindred virtues, using the methods which are now in common use by the Boy Scouts, by placing emphasis upon the Scout Oath and Law for character development, citizenship training and physical fitness.”