6401 Hulmeville Road Bensalem, PA 19020 | Business Office: (215) 945-8620 | Campus: (215) 757-9142 | Fax: (215)-757-8875
History
Adventureland Day Camp was founded in 1960 by career educator, Mr. Lou DeVicairs (Mr. D). The first site was in Pennypack Park, and consisted of two groups. Mr. D was one counselor and his fellow football coach and phys-ed teacher Mr. Dick Bauder was the other. Mr. D also drove the bus, and a local deli delivered lunches and milk to the park each day.
There was no pool at Pennypack Park so three times a week, the campers went swimming at the Highway Pools (now the site of a Hotel/Motel on Old Lincoln Highway and The Boulevard.) Mr. D taught swimming and diving (something he loves to do to this day). Since it was a public pool, many children not connected to Adventureland learned to swim from Mr. D. Tuesday’s were trip days and the campers went bowling, roller skating, or to the movies.
In 1961 Mr. D was told he could no longer use Pennypack Park because Adventureland was not a non-profit organization. This is ironic since Mr. D has never made a dime from the camp, rather he has been paid in the joy and smiling faces of thousands of children. Never one to be deterred by something as trivial as no camp site, Mr. D and Adventureland spent the summers of 1961 and 62 traveling to different playgrounds throughout the city each day. This was the beginning of Adventureland’s ‘never quit’ attitude, and not once has an issue, natural disaster, or anything else caused us to miss a single day of camp.
The enrollment of the camp was steadily increasing and Mr. D located and purchased the current site of Adventureland Day Camp. We opened for business on this site in June of 1963, but still went swimming at Highway pools because our sites pools were not yet completed. Prior to being a camp, the site was at one time a farm, and then a fishing club. If you look closely at the Nature and Arts and Crafts building you can see that they were fishermen cabins. They are the only original structures left. The office building and 10 foot swimming pool and baby pool were built in 1963. With the present day computer lab, nurses station, and lower patio built several years later. The late 60’s saw the addition on the 5 foot swimming pool and the miniature golf course. The miniature golf course was supposed to be an area for trampolines, but accidents at other camps prompted Mr. D to change it to miniature golf.
These were great times at Adventureland, most of the staff were teachers who returned year after year, and a typical child would spend 13 years at Adventureland. Many returning alumni speak fondly about the rowboats, sleep-outs, and Special Events.
The 1980’s and 90’s saw the big wheel track, and computer lab added, and the new millennium was greeted with a ropes course and climbing tower.
There have been many changes and additions to the Adventureland Family over the years, with each child, and staff member adding to the wonderful spirit and legacy of camp. We are pleased that you are going to be a part of Adventureland Day Camp, and look forward to working with you in creating a lifetime of memories for you and your campers.