17271 Lake Vera-Purdon Road Nevada City, CA 95959
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR ALL RENTALS:
- All renters will provide emergency transportation with an available vehicle at all times.
- All renters will provide their own paper goods such as paper towels, toilet paper and garbage
bags.
- All renters will purchase and remove their own food.
- All renters will remove their own trash. Trash removal by Watanda must be arranged,
dumpster fees apply.
- All renters will observe the ALL LAKE QUIET from 9:30 pm to 7 am in which only quiet activities
that do not create a disturbance are to occur. Music is turned off and indoor voices for
conversation.
- Only non-motorized boating is permitted, canoes and life jackets are provided. All boaters
must wear a life jacket.
- Due to difficulty in cleaning, NO GLITTER OR SMALL BEAD CRAFT PROJECTS, NO WATER
BALLOONS OR CONFETTI. Bird Seed only for weddings.
- NO speakers or amplifiers, except for Weddings and Square Dances by prior arrangement.
- FIREARMS are strictly prohibited, including pellet guns, BB guns, sling shots, paint balls, etc.
Archery is permitted under the supervision of qualified individual.
- Camp Watanda is an environmental site, bikes are permitted on established roads or the
acreage behind the camp; no motorized bikes or ATV’s. Stay on existing trails and do not
create “donuts”; NO bikes on the waterfront. Safety gear appropriate to the bike applies.
- The killing, trapping or torture of any wildlife is prohibited. Fishing is permitted without a
license.
A) FAMILY RENTALS:
If you are renting as a family, such as reunions, family camping; and cooking for your
immediate family and guests:
- Parents will supervise their children and immediate guests at all times while in the water or
boating.
- It is not required to provide a lifeguard, CPR or First Aide certificate, Certificate of Insurance, or
have a ServSafe Food Handlers certificate.
- Alcohol consumption is permitted for personal use. No underage drinking, no swimming or
boating under the influence, and that the ALL-LAKE quiet is observed from 9:30 pm to 7:00 am.
- All renters and guests will provide a Release of Liability waiver unless we are added as
“additionally insured”. A guest sign in sheet will be provided upon arrival to ensure that all
guests have been accounted for and appropriate fees have been paid for the indicated guests.
B) ORGANIZED CAMPS:
If you are providing organized programs for children such as Day Camp, Resident Camp,
Scouting event, or any youth program, you must provide:
- All organized camps will provide all program staff and materials, supervision of participants,
training of staff, recreational equipment, food service, food, emergency and routine health care.
- A person who is currently certified in First Aide/CPR. A copy of certificate(s) must be on file with
your rental agreement before final acceptance.
- Provide certified Lifeguard staff when boating or swimming with a ratio of 25:1, a separate
guard is required for boating and swimming if they occur at the same time. Only current Red
Cross Lifeguard Cards will be accepted. Lifeguard must have current CPR for Professional
Rescuers from either Red Cross or American Heart Association. Copy of card(s) must be on
file with your rental agreement before final acceptance.
- Specialized activities such as Archery or Ropes Course must use staff certified to supervise
those activities. Copy of certificates must be on file with your rental agreement before final
acceptance.
- Provide a Certificate of Insurance naming CAMP WATANDA as additionally insured. Event
insurance may be obtained from Special Event General Liability Insurance
- Provide a Food Service Staff person who has completed the state required ServSafe
Certification Course; a copy of certificate must be on file with your rental agreement before final
acceptance. Camp Watanda can provide you with a Certified Food Handler Consultant for
additional fees.
- A current health form must be on site for all campers with a signed “Permission to Treat” if
parents are not present.
- Camper medication must stored and locked away from campers in your own lock box.
- All staff must be fingerprinted and criminal history record checked, including the Camp Director.
C) SPECIAL EVENTS: Weddings, Day Rentals, Corporate Retreats or Seminars
- Camp Watanda has very limited parking, arrangements will need to made for carpooling or
parking in our back acreage.
- Provide a Certificate of Insurance naming CAMP WATANDA as additionally insured. Event
insurance may be obtained from Special Event General Liability Insurance
- Because guest count can be uncertain by the final due date of payment. Fees will be adjusted
up or down depending upon arrival. Includes all guests on site whether they spend the night or
not.
- If there is amplified music, sufficient notice must be given to the adjoining properties and must
cease at 9:30 pm.
CAMP WATANDA WILL PROVIDE IN THE LODGE:
- Commercial range with two ovens, 6 burner top and griddle top.
- Walk-in chill box, commercial freezer, staff refrigerator, 20-qt commercial mixer, 2 charcoal bar-
b-cues.
- Cooking and dining equipment for 60 guests.
- We do not have an automatic dishwasher, ice machine; or washer/dryer for guest use.
- 6 canoes, 2 kayaks, 1 row boat, life jackets and rescue equipment.
- Fire suppression equipment.
- 50 mattresses, 4 cots.
Camp Watanda is located on a small 15-acre reservoir, built in 1896 and used to develop a power
plant for electricity in mining. The name, Lake Vera, was a compliment to E. J. De Sabla, who with
Tregidgo, John Martin, Romilus Colgate and other pioneers, gave their energy and risked their money
in the development of electric power. Vera was the daughter of E. J. Sabla, at that time was 10 years old.
In 1926 the Physical Education Department of Mills College, Oakland, offered courses in camp
leadership which became an approved program of the Camp Directors Association. In 1927 William H
Griffith, of Nevada City and Clarence J. Wetmore heard that Mills College in Oakland was looking for a
summer camping site with waterfront property. Shortly after that, Mills College became the owner of the
property surrounding Lake Vera, and the “Pioneer Camping for Girls” was born and established at
Camp Gold Hollow. According to the deed recorded December 7, 1927, W. H. Griffith and F. M. Ray
became the owners of the property known as Mills College Grove with the stipulation that it be used as
camps for girls and states that it cannot be used for “saloons, gambling, dance halls, boys or mens
camp or auto camp purposes; and that no malt, vinous, alcoholic or intoxicating liquors shall be
manufactured".
The major history of the area began in 1850 with Alfred T Jackson and his friend Pard Anderson who
panned, flumed and rocked about $14,000 in gold per year from Rock Creek, other miners on Brush
Creek took in $100 per day in gold. The land on which Camp Gold Hollow and Camp Watanda stands
was mined by the 49er’s and Chinese, and then later remined. Damming Rock Creek and Brush
Creek originally formed Lake Vera creating hydroelectric power used for mining. Several gullies dot the
area were built by miners to increase the water pressure from the reservoir.
In 1934 the Piedmont Girls Community Services Inc. of Alameda became the new owners of Camp
Watanda in a division of the lake properties to various organizations serving girls. In 1939 the City of
Alameda received its charter as a Camp Fire Council. In 1955, 44 acres was purchased by Camp Fire
from the now defunct Piedmont Girls Community Services (Harris A. Ray) for $5,363.68. The estate of
Judge Otis and Ester Scott Crooks, plus substantial gifts and proceeds from candy sales provided the
funds to purchase the property and improvements and facilities to open the camp for the first time in
1956 to accommodate 30 campers and staff, for a total investment of $14,876.50. In that first year, the
councilmen cleared trees for roads, built 3 living platforms or “kiosks”, a kitchen and dining platform,
sanitary unit consisting of three flush toilets and three showers, beach for waterfront activities, and
provided water and power to the site. Since that first year, the Health Hut has been added, a tool shed
under the dining hall, a kiosk (1967) plus the counselor’s retreat and director’s cabin.
About 1992 the kiosks were all rebuilt and named after donors and volunteers who worked on the
platforms, Marley, Caseywood, Gallup, and Volunteers. During the 1970's Sunshine Charter school
used this site and in the late 80’s and 90’s, a successful Day Camp was operated by Camp Fire for
the local community.
In 1998 the Alameda-Contra Costa Council of Camp Fire merged with the Columbia Park Boys and
Girls Club, thereby taking ownership of Camp Watanda. The camp was too small for the needs of the
Boys and Girls Club and sat dormant until privately purchased by John and Kathryn McNitt in December
of 2002.
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