“’Neath the foothills of old Pisgah stands a spot we most revere.”

Up in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of western Carolina, near Bear Wallow and Bat Cave ą and just a very few miles down the road from Chimney Rock and Lake Lure ą is a remote place two-and-a-half miles up a winding mountain road, some of it now paved, but not all.

For hundreds, perhaps thousands, of young people across 60 plus years of the 20th century, this was, truly, a place of dreams. A summer place, where lifelong memories and friends were made.

Camp Mishemokwa. A rugged, no-frills summer camp, for much of its life, for boys who thrived on athletic competition and outdoors adventures. Later, it became a coed camp, and most surely was a place of great fun and experiences for those campers as well.

There was a connection between Washington and Camp Mishemokwa. E.S. “Johnny” Johnson owned the camp for most of its years of operation. Mr. Johnson was a coach, principal and even schools superintendent in Washington. Most readers have never heard of him, but there are still some of you ą us ą who remember him. Many is the boy and young man from right here in Little Washington who went to Mishemokwa.

Mr. Johnson passed away many years ago. A noted athlete in his youth, he was honored by his alma mater, Elon College, when he was chosen for the Athletic Hall of Fame in the mid-’70s.

Well, after too many years of inactivity and a couple of changes of ownership, a wonderful young couple with a love for summer camp bought the place. With much of the property, especially the cabins, in a state of disrepair, Darren and Cheryl Blum set about reviving, restoring and adding to the storied old camp.

Darren, a highly successful attorney in south Florida, invested quite a bit ą emphasis on the “quite” ą of money in literally bringing the camp back to life. The old, primitive log-and-stone building that housed camp staff has been converted and expanded into a wonderful mountain lodge, beautifully appointed, that can accommodate 24 persons.

For his own family, he built a stunning estate home right on the property as well. How lucky are their three children. A large swimming pool with an awesome deck adjoins the house. Include the water slide that was already in place, and you have a veritable heaven-on-Earth for children.

The old gym is now in tiptop condition, and the athletic fields and tennis courts are ready for use. Two lakes are on the property as well. The camp can be rented for family reunions, business conferences, religious retreats or for a get-a-way for notables seeking solitude away from the “maddening” crowd. There’s a website for the camp, and I have contact information as well.

I fulfilled one of my “bucket list” wishes last May when I spent a night up there. At dusk, it became very quiet, with just the sounds of the mountains. I could sense, almost feel, the presence of young campers ą boys, and then girls and boys ą from across the years. From across all those decades of the last century.

The last night of camp was really special. The old, rustic dining hall would be all decked out in red and black, the camp colors. There would even be candles on the tables, for our last evening meal together. The end of two wonderful months.

There would be awards presentations, appropriate remarks from some of the camp leaders, then lights would be turned out. By the flickering candlelight, we would all sing that haunting ballad, “Auld Lang Syne.” All those voices singing “Should auld acquaintances be forgot.” Haunting, indeed.

Then, from somewhere on the mountain above, came the beautiful, lonesome, almost plaintive sound of the camp bugler playing “Taps.”

And then the evening was over. We had spent our last night together. Some of us, most of us, would not see one another ever again after the next day’s exodus.

I thought of all that, and more, that night in May of last year.

And I could also hear, in my memory, campers singing, “’Neath the foothills of old Pisgah, stands a spot we most revere. ’Tis the Camp of Mishemokwa, and the friends we hold so dear.”

It was, truly, a place where memories were made … and where a piece of my heart will always be.