Merrick Camp Grounds

Merrick Camp Grounds. . Established by the Long Island Camp Meeting Association as a place for religious worship and meetings for New York Methodists. In 1869, the Association bought 60 acres of land in North Merrick for its permanent summer site. The Camp Grounds, located north of Camp Avenue and east of Merrick Ave. were where Methodists from Brooklyn and Queens congregated annually for 40 years., The Camp Grounds were designed in concentric circles, with a Tabernacle in the center and short, narrow streets radiating outwards from the middle. The design closely resembles the spokes on a wagon wheel. By the 1870’s, close to a dozen cottages were built, and by the beginning of the 20th century, nearly 60 houses occupied the grounds. The one and two-story homes were rented by transient families each summer so that they could attend the revival meetings., The average population at the Camp totaled around 300, but during special meetings it rose to as many as 10,000. The success of the Camp can be due, in part, to its close proximity to the railroad. A few factors led to the disbanding of the camp, such as America’s entry into world war one in 1917. By 1929, the stock market crash and the Great Depression that followed brought a complete halt to the Camp gatherings. Some of the original houses still exist today.