Step back in time and experience life in 1800s in Oregon! Campers will explore the challenges faced by traders, settlers, and Indigenous peoples as they traveled, traded, and adapted to life on the Oregon Trail. Through hands-on activities, storytelling, cooking, and interactive crafts, campers will encounter adventures in history!
Each day will feature a different History Mystery. Campers will brush up their detective skills as they learn about the tools that historians use to uncover the past!
Details
Monday, August 11 - Friday, August 15, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Philomath Museum, 1101 Main Street, Philomath Oregon 97370
Campers should bring a water bottle and lunch each day. Snacks are provided.
Cost is $275 per child. Campers should be entering 3rd or 4th grade in the fall. Questions about registration, or for accommodations relating to a disability, please email Anya Ballinger education@bentoncountymuseums.org
Camp Staff
Our staff are CPR and First-Aid Certified.
Camp Co-leader: Anya Ballinger, Curator of Education, Benton County Historical Society. Anya holds a Master of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction. She previously taught summer camps in Wasco County Parks and Recreation district, as well as Camp Stevens, in Julian, California and Tarnow, Poland! Anya loves singing and getting crafty with kids.
Camp Co-leader: Natascha Adams, Curator of Exhibitions, Benton County Historical Society. Natascha previously directed kids' education at OMSI’s Hancock Field Station. She believes in the power of hands-on learning in helping both children and adults develop a deeper understanding of science and nature. Her role as Vice President of Youth Development at the YMCA deepened her commitment to inclusion and community building. Natascha reentered the museum field in 2021, leading the team which reimagining and reopening of the Heritage Museum in Independence. In 2025, she transitioned to BCHS, where she continues her passion for uncovering untold stories, fostering innovative and collaborative programming, engaging the community, and ensuring that everyone feels welcome and safe to explore history.
