When it comes to favorite pastimes, many will cite camping as an all time favorite. In fact, camping for recreation is considered recent yet camping has long been a lifestyle for citizens in many regions for centuries. The concept of camping as a fun pastime came into being in the late 1800s. The Father of Camping, Thomas Hiram Holding, began his journey in camping in 1853 and camped along such places as the Mississippi river with his family. Here is more on the history of camping.
In 1908 the Boy Scout Association of England was formed by none other than Robert Baden-Powell. As the president of the Camping Club of Great Britain and of Ireland, he helped to launch camping as a pastime. He showed how it helped children develop morally and quickly spread this new pastime to the United States.
The Boy Scouts were formed in 1910 and granted congressional charter that year. Girl Scouts were formed in 1912. At the forefront of introducing children and parents alike to the idea of camping. These coincided with the establishing of the very first National Parks in the country.
As a recreational activity, camping was done even after World War II. Car camping began well after this time. Environmental movements in the 60s and the 70s had their roots in camping. More than 42.5 million Americans over the age of 6 went camping in 2011.
So now that you know the history of camping, you can pack your tent and venture out. The world of camping awaits you and you’ll have a great time betting back to nature. With so much history you’re sure to feel closer to your family and friends when you go camping.
Camping is an adventure and can be a wonderful way to escape the rat race of life.
