Waltham Museum to spotlight legacy of Camp Cedar Hill

Perched on 75 acres of rolling lawn and woods, Camp Cedar Hill is one of Waltham’s most beloved landmarks. The property climbs from Beaver Street, loops around the Bentley University campus and spills toward Forest Street. Each summer, Girl Scouts from across Massachusetts crowd into its vintage halls, clamber through its ropes courses, scale an alpine climbing tower and fill the hillside with girl energy.

The story of how this treasured camp came to be will come to life at the Waltham Museum next month. Francine Edwards, co-founder of the Girl Scout Museum at Cedar Hill, will present “Cedar Hill: Cornelia Warren’s Gift to the Girl Scouts” on Sunday, April 12, at 1:30 p.m. The free program will explore how philanthropist Warren’s 1923 bequest of land blossomed into a thriving summer camp and the headquarters of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts.

Once home to Warren’s mansion, a working dairy farm and an elaborate arborvitae maze, the land was transformed into a Girl Scout haven through the vision of Helen Osborne Storrow. It is one of the oldest Girl Scout camps in the United States and hosted the first International Girl Scout meeting with Juliette Gordon Low, the famed founder of the Girl Scouts.

Edwards, a longtime museum volunteer with a deep love for Girl Scout history, will share stories and artifacts tracing the camp’s 100-year journey.

The program will be held at the Waltham Museum, 25 Lexington St. A tour and refreshments will follow. Seating is limited; to reserve a spot, email info@walthammuseum.org  or call 781-893-9020. Parking is available in the public garage across the street.

The event is supported in part by a grant from the Waltham Cultural Council, funded by the Mass Cultural Council.