Our Mission
To provide equitable access to outdoor experiences and gear, promoting well-being, sustainability, and resilient communities.
History of Camp Ketcha
Camp Ketcha had its beginning as a part of a National Camping Organization that first came to Maine in 1932. In the early 1960s, Camp Ketcha’s founding organization decided to establish a smaller satellite location closer to the Portland city area. After scouting out multiple locations, farmland was eventually purchased in Scarborough, and the Camp Ketcha day camp was officially founded in 1964. The campground was named in reference to the size of the property, although not in the way you’re probably thinking.
Although Camp Ketcha currently encompasses 107 acres of property, in comparison to the size of the organization’s Main Campus (Camp Hitinowa in Litchfield ME) Camp Ketcha was only a small part of a much bigger organization. At the time the word *Ketcha was thought to be a local Wabanaki word that translated to mean small or little, thus the “Little” Camp was founded.
*After initial research we have been unable to prove or disprove the authenticity/accuracy of the original Ketcha translation.
