About Jamestown 4-H Center

Who we are

Jamestown 4-H Educational Center is located within walking distance to both Historic Jamestown and the Capital Trail, less than one mile from the Colonial Parkway, and less than 5 miles from Colonial Williamsburg, 20 minutes from Yorktown.

We are an exclusive, safe location that hosts educational, developmental team building and corporate events and 9 weeks of summer camp to 22 units in the state.

The 4-H property offers an unobstructed view of the James River, 2 Lodges that each sleep 50, 4 cabins that sleep 30, a Low Ropes Course, swimming pool, newly renovated amphitheater, fishing pier, living shoreline with a beach, dining and rec halls that can be used simultaneously by groups, multiple outdoor activities in a large recreational field typical of summer camps, acres of wooded property shielding us from development and a level of charm one can only experience first hand.

Jamestown 4-H Educational Center is a proudly accredited American Camping Association camp, and is in collaboration with Virginia Cooperative Extension and Character Counts. The 4-H Center is also a proud member of Network Williamsburg and Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance.

 

Mission Statement

Jamestown 4-H Educational Center, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of youth and adult volunteers through innovative 4-H camping, environmental education, and leadership training.

 

Purpose

Jamestown 4-H Educational Center is organized exclusively for nonprofit, charitable, benevolent, scientific, and educational purposes as follows:

  1. To foster and encourage youth development by providing 4-H educational, cultural, and recreational programs and services and facilities for interested groups, businesses, agencies, and individuals on an equal and non-discriminatory basis.
  2. To cooperate with programs and activities provided or operated by Virginia Cooperative Extension; to acquire, improve, and operate a camp or camps for 4-H activities that are open to all youth.
  3. To provide facilities and programming for all interested groups for camping, environmental education, and leadership training of youth and adult volunteers.
  4. The Center is governed by a Board of Directors with a minimum number of nine members made up of three (3) Virginia Cooperative Extension agents and members of the community at large representing business, government and civic groups. The 4-H Center Director, Associate Director of 4-H, District Director and 4-H Centers’ Extension Specialist are ex-officio members. The Board of Directors elects its own officers every year. The center has six departments: Administration, Programs, Maintenance, Development, Conferencing, and Food Service.

The Jamestown 4-H Educational Center is a 501 (c) (3) organization. All donations to the center are tax deductible.

 

Some History

From 1928 to 1947

In 1928 Jamestown 4-H Educational Center was the first, fully-dedicated 4-H Camp built in the Commonwealth. The first six-acre camping site stood on the shores of the James River one mile north of Jamestown Island. The site, with its rustic wooden structures, was deeded to the 4-H organization by the C&O Railroad for the benefit of 4-H clubs and kindred organizations of the counties of the Commonwealth teaching better farming methods and domestic science. 4-H summer camps took place every summer between 1928 and 1946, with the exception being the World War II years of 1943 and 1944.

The original Jamestown 4-H camp property was later acquired by the National Park Service for its National Monumental Highway (Colonial National Historical Park) that connects Historic Jamestown Island NPS to Yorktown National Battlefield Park NPS. In 1942, the Jamestown 4-H Camp organization purchased a 16-acre parcel of land 1/2 mile up-river from the original site on land previosuly-owned by the C&O Railroad.

A New Home

Between 1948 and 1950 structures were built of wood frame and concrete blocks. Over the year many other buildings were built and renovated to meet the needs of modern campers..

In 1976, Jamestown 4-H Camp incorporated as Jamestown 4-H Educational Center with a governing body called the Corporate Membership. In 1982, the Corporate Membership made the decision to renovate and expand the existing facility.

The improvements and expansions of the 1980s gave the Center extensive recreational, meeting, and lodging facilities.

Today

From it's early, agricultural roots, the Center not only continues over an 80-year tradition of fostering 4-H Campers into productive citizens with passions for environmentally-sensitive living practices, but also to help develop skills and interests in all science disciplines. In addition to the 4-H Campers who come to the Jamestown 4-H Educational Center, the Center also caters to private groups and organizations for their particular needs. The Center is fully-dedicated to serving those Extension Agents and 4-Hers from the Northeastern District of Virginia. All programming designed and administered by and accepted practices performed by the Center staff remain consistent with the core values of 4-H. The Center invites you to become apart of this extensive family and connect with our combined American heritage here at Jamestown.

 

Get Involved!

Our donors are the lifeline of our organization. As a 501 (c) (3) organization, all donations to Jamestown 4-H Educational Center are tax deductible. Individual and corporate donors have generously provided the resources to improve our camp with new construction, the expansion of existing facilities, and the purchase of new equipment. All of these improvements allow Jamestown 4-H Educational Center staff to offer new programming. Our goal is to provide programs, services, and activities that are valuable and provide our youth and adults with the best opportunities for future success and our donors make it possible.

Jamestown 4-H Educational Center relies on the generous assistance offered by our volunteers. Our many volunteer opportunities include educational instruction, special events, facility improvements, and financial support. By volunteering, you will touch the lives of our youth and add to our community. You can make a difference!

We thank every past and future donor and volunteer for your support and invite you to become more actively involved in the 4-H Center - together we will continue "to make the best better."

Contact the Center at (757) 253-4931 for more information on how to get involved!