HISTORY OF WHITE WATER CAMP

White Water Camp began with a dream and a vision of the Rawlinson family in 1950. The vision was to have a place for camp meetings that would bring people closer to Christ. G.H. Rawlinson, Dayton Rawlinson, and Rebecca Belle Rawlinson gave nine (9) acres that we all know as White Water Camp to build such a place.

In 1952 James DeRamus, John Rawlinson, Jodie Rawlinson (Aunt Jo), and Rube Rawlinson started building the tabernacle. It took three (3) years to complete but it was built so well that it still stands strong fifty (50) years later. After the tabernacle was completed the first camp meeting was held in 1955. It continued to grow. People were coming from all over to hear the good news. People were camping out on the property and staying ten (10)

to twelve (12) days at a time. That's right, camp meetings of that day lasted 10 to 12 days, 24 hours a day.

The Rawlinsons wanted a place to feed the people so the kitchen was built in 1955.

Then in 1957 the Rawlinson family saw another need. There was no place for the ladies to stay. So a female dorm was built and is known today as the "Pink Palace". We now have a tabernacle for services, a kitchen for meals, and a place for the ladies to stay. The vision continued to grow.

Aunt Jo wanted a place for preachers to stay and somewhere to have bible study with the youth. In 1965 a two bedroom house was built. This building is known as the "Red House" today. 

In 1975 the building we know today as the "Conference Room" was built as a boy's dorm.

Camp meetings continued to grow but this was just about the only event held on the property. In the early 1980's the White Water Board sold the property to a gentleman in Georgia. The camp sat idle for about eight (8) years until 1988 when Big John Rawlinson decided he wanted the property back in order to continue the camp meetings and to see God at work on this property. He took his income tax refund of $486 that year and gave it to an attorney in Montgomery, AL to buy back the property. It was deeded back to Harry Rawlinson, Big John's first cousin. The property was then deeded over to the Selma District of the Alabama/West Florida Conference of the United Methodist to manage. During this time there was talk about bringing a weekend retreat for youth called Chrysalis to Central Alabama. The Chrysalis Steering Committee started looking for a place to host the event and found White Water Camp. Frazer Memorial UMC heard about Chrysalis and wanted to help. In 1988 they donated a trailer (mobile classroom building) to White Water Camp. A second trailer was donated in 1989 and a third in 1990.

 It wasn't until 1992 that Chrysalis held their first weekend retreat for the youth.

The property was now being used for camp meetings, Chrysalis weekends, and the Rawlinson family reunions. The camp was slowly growing. But unfortunately the Selma District did not have the money to make the needed repairs for the camp and it began to deteriorate. A group from Chrysalis and the Prattville community went to the Selma District and asked that the property be deeded back to a White Water Board to manage. The District agreed and in 1999 the White Water Board incorporated and the deed was changed giving the property to the White Water Board with the understanding that if the White Water Board dissolved the property would go back to the Alabama/West Florida Conference and be managed by the district that covered the camp property.  The Board continued the dream of the Rawlinson family by trying to find a way to make much needed repairs and build a new Conference Center. The price of the repairs and the new Conference Center was so large that a massive fundraiser was started. During this time a ready-made camp was found and the White Water Board looked at buying it and moving the events from White Water. But the sale fell through and the Board returned their focus to White Water. Because of the love the community had for White Water the Board lost some of the community's support when they attempted the purchase of the ready-made camp. Things came to a stand still. In 2003 the Board purchased fifty-nine (59) acres at the back of the camp for future growth. The fundraising is still underway for a new Conference Center/Lodge. The site has been cleared, foundation poured, and the outside shell of the building is almost in place. Fund raising is still underway for money and supplies to finish the inside.

The community continues to make needed repairs to the current building as money and volunteers become available. Please look at the list of needed repairs that are posted on this web site and see if there is one or more that you would like to undertake. If so please call Jerry Keel at (334) 285-1367 or (334) 301-2659 or e-mail him at wjkpsk@bellsouth.net.

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