In 1956, Nield Gordon and Everette Pigg, former roommates and basketball teammates at Furman University, had a vision to open their own boys’ camp. They found the perfect spot in the Blue Ridge foothills of Mountain Rest, SC: 60 acres of farm land surrounded by the Sumter National Forest. They purchased the property and named it Camp Chatuga, after the nearby Chattooga River and Chattooga Ridge. The farmhouse on the property became the camp dining hall, and, to this day, is the only original building still standing. The cornfield became the lake, and the old apple orchard became the tennis and basketball courts. The camp also pays homage to the Cherokee Indians with the name, which is adapted from the Creek word “Tsa-tu-ge”, meaning “we crossed here.” Camp Chatuga has been around for over 60 years, and continues to be a place of inspiration and learning for young boys. Through the vision of two former college roommates, Camp Chatuga remain a place of growth, fun, and friendship for children today.