Western Maryland 4-H Center (10-14)

Historical narrative

This scene captures the entrance to the Western Maryland 4-H Center in Swanton, Maryland, during the June and July camp season of the early 1960s, as a yellow school bus carries children and teenagers toward a weeklong summer adventure. The Center had its roots in the New Deal era: its original log cabins were built as a depression-era WPA project. Later developed through the University of Maryland's 4-H program, the mountain property became an important setting for youth camping, education, leadership, and outdoor activities. For 4-H members, arriving at camp meant something special—the excitement of leaving home, meeting young people from other communities, and spending a week learning, exploring, and becoming more independent. The winding gravel road disappears around a lush, sunlit curve, creating a wonderful sense of mystery: What awaits just beyond the bend? Campfires, friendships, laughter, outdoor adventures, and memories were waiting there. The painting celebrates that magical moment when summer camp—and a world of discovery—lay just beyond the curve.

Oil

© Stephen B. Hales — All Rights Reserved