About The Oaks at Kiser Lake
Stunning views. Rich nature. Fascinating history.
Our Roots
From a Camp Fire Girls’ summer camp to a beloved community retreat center to a Wedding and Event Venue. We have opened up this breath-taking property for you to rent out and host your own events!
The History
The Oaks at Kiser Lake was originally a Camp Fire Girls summer camp named “Camp Shawano”.
James Davis purchased land from John Kiser (who we also have to thank for donating the land for Kiser Lake State Park!). Plans for the camp began in 1945 with lodging, cabins, tents, and the swimming pool all being completed by 1959.
In the spirit of keeping tradition alive, we have maintained or renovated many of the original sites, lodges, and cabins for you to use and enjoy. Even the amphitheater, which was the site of the Council Fire Ring!
The Lodge that is available for indoor ceremonies, receptions, and an overall place to gather, was once the Jim Davis Lodge. The floor plans were drawn up in the late 1940s, and the large barn on the original property site was transformed to the Jim Davis Lodge. The grand fireplace was added to the lodge in 1951. You can still see the Camp Shawano sign embedded in the outdoor fireplace!
The Edna B Lodge was commissioned in 1960 as a gift from Huber Homes and housed a library for the Camp Fire Girls. It is now the owner’s private residence.
Original Cabins & Tent Sites
Blue Bird Mountain was the site of 6 cabins for the 7-9 year old Camp Fire Girls. We have maintained these cabins as our “Primitive Cabins” and have kept the themed cabin names – Blue Jay, Oriole, Sparrow, Cardinal, Robin, and Wren!
Each cabin contains 4 bunks and sleeps 8 people comfortably. While they are equipped with the convenience of electricity, there is no running water. The original bath house, a gift from the Dayton Kiwanis Club, is just a short walk down the sidewalk.
Whispering Pines and Indian Village tent sites housed the 10-15 year old Camp Fire Girls. Ages 10-11 lived in Whispering Pines (originally named Story Book Hill). The 12-15 year olds lived in Indian Village (Lower I.V. and Upper I.V. tents on the hand drawn map).
Future plans for The Oaks at Kiser Lake include turning these tent pads into Glamping sites!
Mary’s Grave
Be sure to visit Yutesler Cemetery while hiking our grounds! This (very small) cemetery is the site of Mary M.’s grave. Mary’s husband, John Yutesler, was the original owner of this property. Legend has it that Mary was cursed, and the Camp Fire Girls would share ghost stories of her…
Forging a New Path
Camp Shawano came to an end in 1996 when the Camp Fire Girls Committee sold the property to The Vance Family.
Dean and Shirley Vance purchased the camp and re-named it Higher Ground Family Retreat Center. Along with their daughter and son-in-law, Julie and Tim Driskill, they ran summer camps for many groups over the next 25 years. They provided lifelong memories to many children in the community.
We purchased the site in 2022 and have been working to enhance its natural beauty. We would like to keep the fire alive and continue allowing families to create the most beautiful and everlasting memories here.
We pay tribute to both founding associations of this astounding property and are blessed to follow in their footsteps.
The Original Barn prior to the fireplace being added in 1951
Service at Camp Shawano
Camp Shawano
The Jim Davis Lodge serves as a backdrop for a group of Camp Fire Girls circa 1978
Camp Fire Girls
Swimming at Camp Shawano
Special thanks to Anne Marie Nikolai-Phillips, a Camp Fire Girl and attendee of Camp Shawano. She has been an invaluable source of historical information, anecdotes, and photographs.