West Essex YMCA

October 15, 1885, industrialist Samuel Colgate, revivalist Dwight L. Moody and YMCA professional Sumner F. Dudley convened a group of church leaders to charter a YMCA "for civic and cultural improvements to the Oranges". This YMCA's first home was a small house on Main Street in Orange next to the North Orange Baptist Church, which was named the Central Branch YMCA. Within two years, a small building was built on the north side of Main Street and in 1900; an addition was added as it became obvious the small building was no longer meeting the community's needs. The building was completely renovated in 1924 and the Metcalf Natatorium was constructed. Thomas A. Edison, one of our members in the early days, gave this building its electric lights. The Orange facility functioned until 1985, when it was reluctantly closed due to financial and other considerations. The Colgate family, having been instrumental providers throughout this YMCA's history, donated property in Sussex County in 1916. The first camp of its kind servicing the Orange area was started in the summer of 1915 with a group of fifteen boys who were recruited from the West Orange Chapel of the Central Presbyterian Church. This trial camp began as a two-week experiment. The two donated tents for this first encampment were pitched beside a cottage (which was later the caretaker's cottage) and used as the dining hall. The property, which is now part of the Fairview Lake Y, was added to many times over the years. The first tract of land known as the Whittle property was purchased for the camp by Austen Colgate and consisted of 158 acres. Colgate also donated the money to build the Kittatinny Lodge in 1917. The Turrell Fund, another long time supporter of the YMCA, provided the financial resources to purchase an additional 100 acres of property in 1971. The Camp is now comprised of 600 acres.