Tohko History

Fully accredited by the American Camp Association, Tohkomeupog is located on 1,000 acres of unspoiled land nestled within the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Along with an Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, Tohkomeupog surrounds the clean, sparkling waters of Purity Lake. Private and pristine, Purity Lake reflects the purest beauty of New Hampshire, and the purest spirit of Tohkomeupog.

It was in this spirit that the first group of boys splashed in the waters of Purity Lake. The year was 1932 – there came to this little valley a woman by the name of Maud Hersey. A housemother at the Moses Brown School in Providence, RI – Mrs. Hersey had decided to bring a small group of students here on a summer retreat. Established then as the ‘Purity Spring Mountain Inn’, the property was owned and operated by Edward E. Hoyt.

The group lived in a rustic “bungalow” near the shore of the lake. The bungalow had a large open room with a stone fireplace, a kitchen facility, and a wrap-around screened in porch. The boys bunked on the porch - protected from the weather, yet still able to enjoy the summer breeze and sounds of the lake. While here, Mrs. Hersey developed a friendship with Edward’s son, “Milt” – he helped run the outdoor program for her boys that summer.

It was this experience that would change the course of Milt’s life... and, inevitably, send ripples racing across the waters of Purity Lake. A young, ambitious man, E. Milton Hoyt became inspired by the notion that young boys would so greatly benefit from a camp experience in this natural setting. He continued to run the summer program out of the bungalow until 1935. At that point, he decided to expand upon his vision.

Milt envisioned a special blending of sports, outdoor activities, and camping adventures. He relocated the camp up to a large, sturdy farmhouse located on another part of the Hoyt property – the Harmon homestead. Soon after, the name of the camp officially became Tohkomeupog – a modified Native American translation of the English, “Spring Water”. Milt transformed his vision into reality... and his success has spanned generations.