The Montgomery County Historical Society


Backyard History Camps
Explore the past in a unique camp experience

For children entering grades 5-7

MCHS is excited to be partnering with the Montgomery County Department of Recreation for this year’s Backyard History Camp. In nearly all aspects, the camp will continue as it has before. The main difference is that this year all registrations will be going through the Department of Recreation. It has been hard for MCHS to adequately advertise our little camp which can only take a total of 44 campers. This partnership will allow us to reach a broader audience and to make the camp even more successful! For those of you who have attended in the past, fear not! It will be the same, high quality camp you have known and loved. This year’s preliminary camp schedule is as follows:


Session 1 - July 28 to Aug. 1 in Germantown

RECWEB COURSE # 219248
• Sandy Spring: Oakley Cabin, Friends Meeting House, Underground RR Trail, Slavery Museum
• Catoctin Furnace, Boat Ride at Black Hills Park
• Archaeology at Needwood Mansion
• Civil War Day: Monocacy Battlefield, National Museum of Civil War Medicine
• Carderock Naval Surface Warfare Center, Great falls, canal boat ride


Session 2 - August 4 to 8 in Rockville

RECWEB COURSE #219249
• Washington Navy Museum, Arlington National Cemetery
• Fort Ward, Gadsby’s Tavern, archaeology lab at Torpedo Factory
• Archaeology at Needwood Mansion
• Claude Moore Colonial Farm, Colvin Run Mill
• Great Falls, canal boat ride, Clara Barton House, Glen Echo

These schedules are not yet firm, but should be by the end of April. To register for summer camps, please visit the Montgomery County Department of Recreation's RecWeb site. If this is your first time using RecWeb, you will need to set up an account; it is free and only takes a few moments. The course numbers used by the Recreation Department are listed above. To go directly to RecWeb, please click here.

For a description of Backyard History Camp for the summer of 2007, please click here.

Please Note: Camp Particulars

Hours: Camp Hours 9-4:00; Early arrival: 8-9:00 (extra fee); Late Pick-up: 4-5:00 (extra fee)

Cost: $300 per week Late fees TBA

Camp locations:

Rockville: Montgomery County Historical Society, 103 West Montgomery Avenue, Rockville.

Germantown: Waters House Historic Site, 12535 Milestone Manor Dr., Germantown.

Registrations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

Age Restrictions: Children entering 5th-7th grades.

Camp Size: Each session is limited to 22 campers with three counselors. Insufficient enrollment may result in camp cancellation.

Field Trips: There are field trips daily. A complete itinerary is mailed prior to the first day of camp. Outdoor activities are planned every day which include walking and take place rain or shine.

What to bring : Lunch and rain gear if necessary.

Provided: Field trip transportation, snack, materials.

Emergency: In case of emergency someone will be at the Society at all times, 301-340-2825. The camp director will also have a cellular phone.

Refund Policy: TBD

Camper Behavior: Appropriate behavior is expected from all campers. Due to the nature of the camp (i.e., field trips), campers are expected at all times to listen to instructions from the counselors, stay within the group and not display dangerous behavior. Inability of campers to abide by camp rules will result in immediate expulsion without a refund.