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Oak Hills Life and Work
When the little group of Bemidji businessmen and farmers prayed under the oak tree on that cold day back in October 1925, they asked the Lord to "give us this land." The Lord answered their prayers. Through the years God heard the prayers of other men, women and children who asked for more land to meet the challenge of the growing missionary camp. The first land acquired by Oak Hills was 14 1/2 acres. To this virgin site the pioneer missionaries came, developing a rustic camp, and then despite poorly insulated "summer" buildings, chose to live there the year round. In the '20s businessman George W. Neilson owned 75 acres of land on the east shore of Lake Marquette adjoining Oak Hills property. When Superintendent W.S. Cummings realized n 1929 that the camp would need this property for future growth, he wrote to Mr. Neilson and asked what he would charge for the land. Neilson replied, "If I gave it to you, what would you do with it?" Cummings surveyed the 75 acres, made a blueprint of the topography, and indicated his plans for developing the land. Neilson was impressed, and he decided to deed the property to Oak Hills Fellowship as a gift. When Oak Hills became a year-round headquarters, the missionaries needed a better road into the camp. In the early years the only access road was a rough logging trail winding through heavily timbered country along the south shore of Marquette Lake. This road was satisfactory except when deep snowdrifts made driving hazardous even for a rugged Model T Ford. But the need for a new road became urgent when a man who bought the property through which it passed decided to close the trail. The loss of the trail discouraged the missionaries, but they soon discovered that this was God's timing for something better. After the summer camping season ended in 1931, Mr. Cummings with several of his staff tramped through the woods, mapping out a new approach to Oak hills. The proposed roadway would have to wind through forty acres of land which the Fellowship did not own. This acreage was covered with excellent timber and could be bought for $200. The workers prayed earnestly that the money might be obtained without delay. When the two sisters of Jemima Olson, Judith and Esther, heard of the need for money, they sent word: "Proceed with the deal for forty acres. You can count on us for the purchase money." Once again the men and women of Oak Hills saw that God had closed the rough and narrow trail to provide a better route. The ministry of Oak Hills expanded and often through His children God took care of the needs. Esther and Judith Olson lived in Minneapolis, but in 1934 after Judith died, Esther moved to Oak Hills to help with the cooking and other responsibilities at the camp. In 1941 Esther bought 31 acres of land along Lake Marquette as investment property and as a wood lot for Oak Hill' use. Shortly after South Camp was developed in 1962, Esther, realizing that her land adjoined the new camp area, gladly offered her 31-acre tract as a gift to the Fellowship. And when more land was needed for the camp, more was bought as God provided the funds. For a long time the camp fire trail had crossed a neighbor's property. In 1966 the neighbor sold the Fellowship nine acres of his rolling woodland for $250. After this transaction the total land which the camp owned came to 169 1/2 acres. All of this had cost them less than $1,000! In 1972 Oak Hills purchased 65 acres of land south of the 31 acres given by Esther Olson. This acreage borders the east side of the Schoolcraft River and gives ownership through to the next road south. This supplements the Bible camp acreage and is used for hiking, tenting, and in the winter for cross-country skiing. Originally the Oak Hills land was considered of little
value. Today, with its choice location along Lake Marquette and its
valuable building, it is a treasure provided by the bountiful hand of the Lord.
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