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Charlotte Page is a longtime Associate Director at Rockbrook. She began her career at Rockbrook in 1980 when she was a junior camper and has served in many roles since then, including a Cabin Counselor and Program Director. She is a graduate of Converse College with a degree in Education of the Hearing Impaired. When Charlotte isn’t at Rockbrook, you can find her coaching S.M.A.R.T Girls Run, teaching therapeutic riding lessons at Free Rein Riding Center, or volunteering with the North Carolina Boys & Girls Club.
Rockbrook camp in the 1980s
• News • Charlotte Page

Generations of Rockbrook Women

During the recent Rockbrook reunion there were several sets of Mothers and Daughters in attendance.  It was such a special experience for Moms and Daughters to finally get to be campers together, sharing bunk beds, singing camp songs and dining around the green tables in the dining hall.

Marguerite and Jennie
Marguerite and Jennie
Ashley and Fran
Ashley and Fran

During the activity portion of the reunion there were lots of Mother and Daughter sets spotted sliding into the lake on the water slide, hiking together, playing tennis or making crafts.  Overall though, the favorite experience for everyone was just sharing time with their loved ones in such a special place.  Sharing the gift of Rockbrook with your daughter is definitely the gift that lasts a lifetime.

Dibble and Grace
Dibble and Grace
Ansley, Bentley and Leslie
Ansley, Bentley and Leslie
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Camp Friends are Forever
• News • Charlotte Page

Camp Friends are Forever Friends

Morgan and Linda
Morgan and Linda

The years drifted away during the recent Rockbrook Reunion weekend as old friends reconnected in the heart of a wooded mountain.  For some women it was their first trip back to Rockbrook in more than 40 years but it did not take a moment to find a friend and jump right back to where they left off. The joy on everyone’s faces as they saw their old friends was magical!

Phyllis and Sparky
Phyllis and Sparky
Kelly and Jennie
Kelly and Jennie

We will post more stories and memories from the reunion soon.  It was a spectacular weekend filled with fun!

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5th Generation Campers
• News • Charlotte Page

Nancy Carrier’s Family Legacy

Walk in the Woods
Caroline, Emily and Hannah -Nancy Carriers Great- Great Granddaughters with their Aunt Helen and Grandfather Gus

Each summer we are always thrilled to have campers in attendance whose family members are also former campers.  This year we were especially excited as we had three campers during our Third Session who are the great-great granddaughters of Nancy Carrier, Rockbrook’s founder!  It was so great seeing their enthusiasm about camp and knowing how proud their great great grandmother would be to see them as campers!

The Spirit of Rockbrook is with you always!

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Rockbrook Riflery Placque
• History • Charlotte Page

Rockbrook Riflery Woman of the Week

Earlier this summer, we were lucky enough to have former camper and counselor Dolly Robertson Herron stay with us for a few weeks during 1st session. Dolly helped out around camp in a variety of ways, and one of her biggest projects was refurbishing old riflery plaques from the 1960s. After over 40 years on the riflery range, the weathered plaques had lost their shine, and Dolly decided to preserve these important pieces of Rockbrook history. While cleaning the plaques, which were emblazoned with the names of expert riflewomen, Dolly noticed that one name in particular, Vesta Bateman, was inscribed several times on a 1974 plaque. After doing a bit of her own research, Dolly found Vesta’s contact information and sent her an email asking about Vesta’s camper days.Vesta wrote Dolly back, confirming that that was indeed her name on the plaque. Vesta also sent a picture of her shooting on the Rockbrook range in standing position! Thanks to Dolly’s hard work, Vesta and other former campers will continue to be honored and recognized for their sharpshooting abilities!

Riflery Woman
Rockbrook Riflery Award- Before and After
Vintage rifle girls
Far left, Vesta Bateman shooting from the standing position, 1970’s RBC Catalog

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Ellen Lensing
• News • Charlotte Page

In Memoriam: Ellen Lensing

Ellen Lensing


It is with great sadness we report the passing of Rockbrook Alumna Ellen Lensing.  Ellen passed away on June 22 at the age of 92.  Phyllis Shaw sent us a beautiful email that captures the spirit of Ellen:

“I am very sorry to report the passing of Ellen Lensing, age 92, last night June 22.  Her passing is truly the end of an era for my generation of Rockbrookers.  None of us feels old enough to be the front line!

Ellen worked with Jerky in the office and was a counselor on senior line.  I have known her since I was 16 years old.  She lived a remarkable life of teaching (she had a PhD in business), mentoring, serving others, traveling all over the world, camping, hiking, etc.  Finally at age 89, she decided not to get ON her roof to clean her gutters!

Her health declined in very recent years prior to her moving to Milwaukee to live with her sister two years ago.  She was a remarkable embodiment of the Spirit of Rockbrook.  We will miss her dearly and remember her always.”

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Trail Ride at Rockbrook Camp
• North Carolina • Charlotte Page

Trail Rides at Rockbrook Camp

Horseback Riding at summer camp
Campers gather near the old barn for a trail ride, 1920’s

In the early days of Rockbrook, trail riding was a popular activity.  Rockbrook’s location 3 miles from Brevard was far enough from the hustle and bustle of town to allow the girls to ride to the river or down the road towards Caesar’s Head.  They also had daily instruction in the ring on what is now our sports field.  In the 1920’s, Mrs. Carrier along with the barn staff would even ride the horses over Caesar’s Head and down to Greenville to return them to their winter home. What an adventure!

Eventually, the riding program outgrew the sports field location and moved across the road to it’s current home.  This location features 3 riding rings and a jump course as well as several pastures and an inviting trail that follows the French Broad River.  We no longer ride over Caesar’s Head on horseback, but there are plenty of exciting adventures that happen down at the barn!

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Carrier House tennis courts
• History • Charlotte Page

The Carrier House Tennis Court

We recently found another Rockbrook photograph during our search of the archives at The Transylvania County Library.  In their records they had this photo of the original tennis courts at The Carrier House.  The Carrier House or Rockbrook House as it is now known was the home of the owners and directors of Rockbrook, Henry and Nancy Carrier.  Here at their house many camp activities were offered including tennis and lawn dancing. Tennis was a popular activity from the beginning of camp and quickly outgrew this first court as the  number of campers increased.  In the late 1920’s two more courts were added and then ultimately three more courts were built.  This original court was removed from The Carrier House lawn and was turned into a beautiful side porch.  Note the small boxwood hedge in the background of the picture, those same boxwoods are now over 9 feet tall!  Here is a previous blog post that tells you more about our current tennis program.

Carrier House Tennis Court
The Carrier House and Tennis Court, circa 1920’s
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Camping at Rockbrook
• Counselors • Charlotte Page

Camping in the Mountains

Check out this great page from a 1941 Rockbrook Catalog.  Campers had the opportunity to go on lots of different adventures including overnight camping trips.  Camping trips now follow the principles of Leave No Trace, but back in the 1940’s you can see that the camp outs were quite elaborate.  Don’t you know those S’mores tasted delicious?!

Campers at Rockbrook enjoy an overnight camp out
Rockbrook Catalog Excerpt, 1941
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High Falls Land of Waterfalls
• News • Charlotte Page

The Land of Waterfalls

Rockbrook Campers enjoy a waterfall hike
Rockbrook waterfall hike, 1940’s

Did you know that Rockbrook’s home Transylvania County is also known as “The Land of the Waterfalls?” Transylvania County contains over 250 waterfalls thus earning it’s nickname.  Whitewater Falls is one of the highest waterfalls on the east coast and is only a few miles from Rockbrook.  We even have two waterfalls on Rockbrook’s property- Stick Biscuit Falls and Rockbrook Falls.

Click here for a local waterfall map.  Have fun on your adventure!

Rockbrook campers enjoy a visit to Rockbrook falls
Rockbrook Falls, Brevard NC
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