The Salvation Army Wonderland Camp & Conference Center

Specialties

Our facilities are available to rent from Labor Day to Memorial Day for conferences, retreats, seminars, and other special events. Each summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day our camp is dedicated to serving inner city youth and senior citizens of the Chicagoland Area. Our goal is to enrich their lives physically, personally and spiritually through healthy outdoor activities in a safe and caring environment in which children and adults can learn and grow. During these months we are closed to outside rentals.

History

Established in 1924.

Wonderland Camp opened in 1903 as a «Salvation Army Fresh Air Camp» to provide a retreat for low income mothers and children to be able to escape the inner city pressure and experience the outdoors.

In its current form the camp was opened July 4, 1924. In 1934 the Shagbark side of camp was built by the WPA with a generous donation from Actor/​Philanthropist, Will Rogers.

In 1983 the camps name was changed to Wonderland Camp & Conference Center.

Through 1995 – 2005 we continued to build. During those years we built the Wonderland Lodge, Wonderland Chapel, Sharp Center, and a state of the art Dining Hall.

Today Wonderland Camp continues to serve inner city youth each summer. Their lives are enriched physically, personally and spiritually through healthy outdoor activities in a safe and caring environment in which the children can learn and grow.

Wonderland Camp also is open for rentals throughout the year for various Conferences and Retreats.