THE STORY OF
CAMP KLASSEN

By Ken Klassen

My uncle, Walter Klassen (photo on right), owned the farm which once stood at the south side of Antioch Rd and College Blvd (110th St as it was known at that time).  At the bottom of the hill was 16 acres of heavily wooded bottom land through which Indian Creek flowed.The land was useless for agricultural purposes.  He had let Troop 91 camp on the site for some time.

My Uncle Walt was a relatively wealthy home developer and “gentleman farmer”.  He had decided to retire and move to Florida. Besides needing to do something permanent about this bottom land, he also needed some tax relief.  He was approached by my father, Harry Klassen, Joby Jobson, and others with the idea of donating the property to Troop 91.  This would provide the Troop with a permanent camp and Walt with a tax write-off.  Walt insisted however that the land must remain the property of the Troop’s in perpetuity.  Thus was born Camp Klassen. 

Shortly thereafter work began on the Scout House.  My father, a brick layer, built the fireplace.  Several other dads pitched in and built the rest of the structure.  With completion of the Scout House the original Camp Klassen was complete.  A separate pole building was built some time later.  I understand that it was dismantled and moved to the new Camp Klassen.

Walt Klassen was a larger than life individual.  He was briefly a professional prize fighter, cowboy, pilot, trap shooter, and ham radio operator.  As a home builder he built much of post-war Overland Park as well as developments in other areas of Kansas City. 

Donating Camp Klassen was one of those “loose ends” that he needed to take care of during this process of retiring to Florida.  Ironically, having  previously donated Camp Klassen, his death occurred days before the scheduled move to Florida in 1955.

Piece Of Klassen
Award Winners

This prestigious award is for those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to create and maintain the enviornment that makes for an amazing experience for the Scouts in Troop 91 and other Scouts in the local area.

2009
Steve Cox
John Faerber
Rob Jones
Karen Koupal
Cliff Middleton
Skip Peavey
2008
Mary Hylton
Brian Redelsheimer
Chris Burns & Sharon Rodriguez
Jim Michelson
Mark Curfman
Steve Cox
Kevin Heiman
Tom Pistorius
2007
Kurt Parrett
Doug Edmonds
Linda La Piana
Sarah Jurcyk
Alan Mosher
2006
Dick Kaufman
Brant Tidwell
Cathi Maynard
2005
Bruce Andersen
Will Conner
Ron Shaffer
Jan Hodges
Tom Stewart
Greg Sigman
Danny Kamphaus
Bill Coughlin
Dave Fowler
Steve Kerns
Dr.Charlie & Anne Rhoades

The Long Trail for
"A Piece of Klassen" and Naming It

Once it was determined that larger beams were needed for the roof, a search was made for the material. After it was discovered that the cost of those pieces ,exceeded the funds that were available for the whole project. Attempts were made acquiring them through donations,but were completely unsuccessful.

The concept of making 12'' beams ourself seemed the only option left. Working through the portable sawmill association,was a remarkable solution, using product from Klassen. Cost $200 including tip!
  
That's how we met Karl Klamm. He lives in Desota,and brought his sawmill to Klassen. I got some help from Kurt, some Ventures a few volunteers and a trackhoe to lift and move the heavy trunks. You have to be able to lift them on and off the table. This was also used the next day for digging the latrine footing.

Karl could make a beam faster than I could cut and limb a 30'' walnut. Moving them takes time too. We worked in the near 100 degree heat and Karl at age 72 never slowed down a bit. The extra time gave him a chance to provide us with some great milled timbers. Shaving and slicing, the smell of walnut so thick you could chew it as the pieces fell.

Small fragments of what was just standing as monument to our creator were now falling in a pile. These pieces of Klassen, as I saw them, were not debris, they were inspiring. About to become something new and wonderful these slices of products brought to us by our forefathers, would be used for recognition. Now that they were safely stored, an idea was needed to transform these planks into art.

What would be best? A plaque? A symbol? What about both?

About this time an old friend had been on hardtimes. I bought a couple guns from him. One of them was an old .22. When I went over to talk to his Dad about making some plaques for us, the conversation came around to that ole .22. It had been his Dad's. The only thing he had of his dad's, but he heard that Paul had sold it. He didn't know it was me that had bought it.

Cost?

To make a long story short, I took him the walnut planks, a template of what I wanted and an old .22.

Virgil made us 40 of the neatest little wooden wagons and thanked me! He thanked me and we got 40 pieces of Klassen nearly two years after the first tree fell, two years after meeting Karl Klamm. Two years after only the memory of the sweat from that hot day remain. The day when those small miracles of Klassen were examined and the idea began. I still have the template.

Now a name was needed, an award for those who have gone the extra mile at Camp Klassen.

Though cutting, limbing, moving, milling, storing, shaping, sanding and finishing them, gave me no right to name them. Cost $3.20.
 
They had already been given a name. Boy was I surprised to find out what it was.

Priceless !

The Piece of Klassen award resulted from two people in the troop talking about their personal observations and experiences in the troop.  Cathi Maynard was looking for a way to recognize the many adults who worked to make the troop run smoothly.  The troop did not have an adult recognition program at the time, even for years of service.  A lot of people worked to make things just happen--Eagle neckerchiefs show up at Courts of Honor; a Parent-Son banquet happens each year; Eagle photos appear in the scout house at Klassen; new t-shirt designs surface; a directory is published annually and supplemented. 
 
Danny Kamphaus was looking for a way to use some beautiful walnut planks
milled from trees at Klassen.  They talked and over a few weeks, designed the award together, then used a surprising list of resources to have the first ones manufactured.

Danny had a friend with a scroll saw; Cathi had woodworking uncles who suggested sources for the wheels.  The plaque is a prairie schooner profile complete with wheels and a purple engraved plate to salute Troop 91's logo and colors.  Cathi and Danny were delighted to be able to choose the name and dubbed it the "Piece of Klassen" award.
 
The award was first presented at the Parent-Son banquet in February, 2005.  It is presented during the banquet so that it does not detract from the Daniel Nussbeck Memorial Service Award which is traditionally presented during the February Court of Honor.  Part of the fun of receiving the award is not knowing who the recipients will be so the decision has typically been made by a very small, informal, number of adults. 
 
The Piece of Klassen award is a bit of Troop 91 history, hard work and hurrah for each adult who receives it.

Look for the names of those who have won the coveted "Piece Of Klassen Award" for their incredible service to Camp Klassen and Troop 91 on this webpage.

Camp Klassen is an incredible feature that Troop 91 is most proud of. It is a 317 acre camp donated by the Walter Klassen family to the Village Presbyterian Church for the specific use of Troop 91.  Although it is a rugged campsite, it has a developed restroom area and running water. It also boasts a very large Chapel with seating for our large Troop. This is also the site for evening campfires and ceremonies.

Camp Klassen is like a mini Camp Bartle!

One of the unique features of this campsite is a building that contains pictures of those from Troop 91 who have made Eagle Scout!  One day, hopefully your picture will be placed here with honor next to those who came before you. 

Parents, we highly recommend that you and your son make the trip to see it.

Directions to
Camp Klassen


The address is:
40910 West 311th Street
Paola, Kansas
66071

Head South on I-35 to the K-33/Wellsville Exit, about 22 1/2 miles. You will pass by Olathe, Gardner, Edgerton, the Miami County line, and the Franklin County line.

Exit on K-33 South, left turn off from exit ramp. Follow K-33 south to K-68, about 5 1/2 miles.

Turn left to K-68, heading East to Pleasant Valley Road, about 1.8 miles.

Turn right on to Pleasant Valley Road. Head South to 311th Street, about 3.6 miles.

Turn right at 311th street and go about a mile to a driveway on the right just past oil tanks, just past Stanton Road on the left, and just before "road not maintained" road on 311th.

Follow the camp entrance road past the oil tanks and the caretaker's house, past the rought iron entrance to the marked parking area.

Emergency Phone Numbers

The tenant who resides on the property is Dan and Krista Howard. They can be reached at 1-800-233-5416 or 913-294-2246.

The Sheriff's number is 913-294-4444.

Click here for a map to Camp Klassen 

Clickable map of Camp Klassen

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