Camp Buccou History

buccou tile mercer tile

This mosaic tile was discovered buried under some fireplace wall covering, after a serious fire in the dining hall. The tile is about 20 inches diameter. Since the glazing appears to have melted away during the fire, it is impossible to know what the original colors were. The tile is marked with the Mercer trademark.

This is a similar tile currently at the Mercer Museum. Although the two tiles look quite similar, you can see small differences after a little study. Notice the lovely, bright colors of the mosaic. This tile does not carry the Mercer trademark.

(The following information was provided by Doug Kiovsky of Hunterdon Parks and Recreation Department in January, 2003. The "me" and the "I" refer to Doug. The two photos were provided by Bill Kuhl of Bucks County Council.)

The site of the Bucks County Council BSA first scout camp (Camp Buccou) was discovered recently through deed research. It turns out the former camp's location is 1.5 miles southeast of the Camp Buck site and sits on private property.

An old picture brochure of Camp Buccou from 1938, shows an aerial photo which turned out to be the wrong camp! That camp, the Irvington Health Camp, is adjacent to the Hunterdon County Park property on Round Mountain (Route 31, north of Flemington). So that confusion lead me to believe that Camp Buccou was on Round Mountain! No wonder the poor Bucks County Council people could never find the old site of their origins.

After Camp Buccou existed from 1928 to 1940, the camp was closed and a new camp, Camp Okineckan, was created in Bucks County near Pipersville by the Delaware River. Several of the Scoutmasters and myself were invited by the property owners to see the former site. The owners claim that a few of the foundations of camp structures exist as does a mosaic tile by Henry Mercer that graced the stone mantle of the dining hall. They removed that some years ago since weather was a factor and reset it in a concrete mold (like a shadowbox).

(The former Camp Buccou is on private property and is not open to the public.)

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Rev: Oct 15, 2003