Camp Crystal Lake, as a major educational asset of the School Board of Alachua County, was acquired through the foresight and initiative of former County School Superintendent Howard W. Bishop. Before it could be purchased, a legal barrier had to be overcome. As Camp Crystal Lake was located in Clay County, outside the jurisdiction of the Alachua County School Board, a Supreme Court ruling was considered essential.
Accordingly, in August 1947, the Board filed its petition to determine whether it had authority to purchase land outside Alachua County for educational purposes. Upon receiving an affirmative decision from the Florida Supreme Court, in June 1948, the Board of Public Instruction purchased the Crystal Lake site, formerly known as the Keystone Heights Air Base.
The Board obtained the 140 acres and 28 buildings from the War Assets Administration at an educational discount of 95%, thanks to the camp’s preferred classification as a necessary adjunct to the educational program. The Camp went into operation in the Fall of 1948 with Janet Wells as the first camp director.
Since that time, camp has upgraded and modernized, but several of the original buildings and traditions still stand. The building that once served as the officers' club is now the camp Rec Hall, where we continue the tradition of holding a dance on Thursday nights. The airfield is still used for civil aviation and maintained by the city of Keystone Heights.
Today, we see over 1,000 campers during the summer for residential and adventure camp, provide educational field trips for all 2nd and 5th graders in Alachua County’s public schools, and provide a space for weekend rental groups September-April.
“Never was so much accomplished by so few... Never was so much obtained for so little.
Certainly, considering the per capita expenditure against the physical value of Camp Crystal Lake, and it's fine educational accomplishments for Alachua County schoolchildren, the Alachua County Board of Public Instruction holds in its hands a bargain rarely, if ever, equaled in the history of Florida education.
In a finer sense, it might be considered a lasting obligation to hold this valuable asset in trust for the children of Alachua County."
- Dr. Frank E. Philpott in School Camping in Florida (1958)