From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Camp Kechuwa, a summer camp no longer in operation, is located on Lake Michigamme, Michigamme, MI 49861. It was founded in 1914 by two Ross sisters (Ella and Helen--or Hi) who lived in Independence, MO. It ran for 37 years until 1950 and was extremely successful. Many famous families sent their daughters to Kechuwa. Its most famous camper was Nancy Reagan who atttended for four or five summers (her autobiography stresses her enjoyment of those years). Like many people, Mrs. Reagan misspelled it as Camp Ketchuwa. Kechuwa was idle for three years, and then two nephews of the Ross sisters (Charles and Lowell--or Bud) re-opened it as a boys camp. Their wives, Sis and Jane also played very important roles in running the camp.
The Leakes ran Kechuwa for 17 more years, 1954-1970, finally closing it following the summer of 1970. The property remains as summer vacation spots for the Leake brothers and their families. A third brother, Dr. James Ross Leake worked several summers for the Ross sisters before an Army career and the medical profession. His wife, Dory, also worked at the girls camp. An iteresting sidelight of the Ross sisters (there were six sisters, and the other four all played a role in helping run Kechuwa) was that their only brother, Charles G. Ross was President Truman's Press Secretary. They had been lifelong friends in Independence, and Charlie Ross was a distinguised journalist with the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Former campers still drop in to visit Kechuwa and are always surprised at how well it looks and what a beautiful setting it has on Lake Michigamme.
Charlie Leake, a longtime teacher of mathematics at the Ashville School in North Carolina, now lives with Sis in Traverse City, MI. Bud was a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cincinnat lives with Jane (a Professor of History at U.C.) in Cincinnati. Jim lives with his second wife, Arden, in Waldport, OR (Dory is deceased).
