The Swordfish

The Swordfish

This cabin was originally built as the camp's infirmary in the late 1930s. For many summmers following in the 40s, this cabin officially house those who needed solitude and rest for the daily schedule of BRC under the watchful eye of Nurse Elizabeth Sheehy. Miss Sheehy worked at BRC for over a few decades. Those who attended Birch Rock remember her Sunday dose of Milkamagnesia (a dietary laxative) complimented with a nabisco graham cracker.

As the years progressed, the official infirmary moved across the street to the home where Onie and Chief Brewster officially resided. Buck and Florence Hard and family took up residence in what we now refer to as he Swordfish Cabin and spent many summers as Chief's primary trip leader while Florence raised her children and helped Onie with the daily camp preservation work.

In the early 70s, Fred and Midge Rawson took over the building. Fred was the camp's riflery instructor and camp's premier landscaper. Midge assisted Onie at the Allen Kearns Library and maintained the dewey decimel system file catalog for the camp's ever growing book inventory.

After Chief's passing in the summer of 1973, Verna Dyke returned to BRC as the camp's nurse. She resided in the cabin with three high-spring hospital beds that were impeccably maintained with starch white linen. A gray army blanket adorned each bed footing. Of course, the beds were accentuated with meticolous hospital corners.........a stable for Birch Rock's daily inspection process.

The cabin was left vacant a few summers until the Doug Dickey family arrived in 1980s....and more there are number of different senior counselors resided randomly each summer.

Returning to Birch Rock as the camp's first full-time and year-round administrator, Rich Deering took up official residence of the Swordfish in 1995. He has