The Camp Fire Club of America was founded in 1897 by William T. Hornaday, the first director of the Bronx Zoo and noted conservationist, widely credited with saving the American bison from extinction. The club was aimed at hunters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Ernest Thompson Seton was one of 34 charter members of the Camp Fire Club of America. He was an enthusiastic member and served as the club’s thiurd president in 1910.
The Camp Fire Club remains an active organization today and is based in Chappaqua, New York. It is a private club that has a beautiful facility with lots of sporting opportunities for its members. It pursues its conservation goals through its Camp Fire Fund. As a private club, the Camp Fire Club is not open to the public. Please respect club members’ privacy.
When the National Scouting Museum at Philmont in Cimmaron, NM, opened in 2018, a plaque commemorating the long relationship of the Club with the Boy Scouts of America was dedicated. This plaque notes Seton’s involvement, along with Daniel Carter Beard, another BSA founder.
