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Part XVI: Camps Ranger Clifton and Jefferson
By R. Richard Willis

In the 1930’s, Camp Ranger came into being. This camp accommodated 70 boys for an 8-week period. The camp was fashioned after boy’s camps in Maine. A group of men from Montclair, NJ ran this camp. In 1962 the camp was sold and its name was changed to Camp Clifton, new cabins were added, and additional land was acquired. Sine if its attractions were hiking trails, swimming pool, canoeing, shooting range and boating in the lake. By 1998 the camp had been closed for a few years. And the land was up for sale. With the leadership of then Mayor E. Brown and others from Jefferson Township, the camp was purchased and named “Camp Jefferson.” Currently the camp is being used as a civic center.

Since 1998 the camp has come back to like, cabins are being adopted and renovated, the main lodge’s electricity was updated, modern bathrooms installed, new kitchen freezer – refrigerator and stove, and the recreation building foundations repaired.

Jefferson Highlights Community TV Studio has adopted a cabin and turned into their Studio where community activities are filmed for their bi-weekly shows. Their programs can be seen on Morris Cablevision Channel 21 on Thursday’s and Sunday’s at 6 p.m. Jefferson Highlights has also adopted another building and is in the process of converting it into a theater/lecture hall.

The Chamber of Commerce has completely renovated one of the cabins and is used constantly by many of the township’s organizations. The football cabin has been renovated and the men who worked on this building should be proud, it looks great. Another cabin has been adopted by a group of railroad enthusiasts and they are constructing a model railroad town.

The week of June 14, Camp Jefferson became and active Day Camp. Activities are going on Monday through Friday, children can be seen hiking, playing games, going on swimming trips and having a great time. Also the new playground is taking shape. It looks like a giant erector set, with all the pieces to be assembled.

Every day something is going on at Camp Jefferson, it may be a Seniors meeting boy scouts, girl scouts on a overnight sleepover, the “CAP doing drills, line dancing, Bicentennial meetings, Chamber of Commerce activities or a private party booked. The future of Camp Jefferson looks very bright, with more planned activities happening year round. Such as Winter Festival, Easter egg hunt, Halloween, or Santa at Camp Jefferson. The townspeople of Jefferson should be proud of their “Civic Center Resort.”