Brookhaven Retreat
Encyclopedia
Brookhaven Retreat is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Christian camp and retreat center located approximately six miles north of Hawkins, Texas
in the Piney Woods
region of north East Texas
.
Brookhaven Retreat is a rental facility for group organized retreats. During 14 weeks from the end of May through mid-August a summer camp
for church youth groups is run.
The retreat and camp is situated on the shores of the 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) Brooks Lake and is surrounded by some 600 acres (2.4 km²) of forest
land.
The camp and retreat center can accommodate up to 300 people in motel style units, lodge rooms, bunkhouse, dorm, cabins, and a guesthouse. The property also contains a swimming pool
; basketball
and tennis
courts; a ropes course
; playing field; recreation room; swimming pond with a zip-line
, trapeze, and a large water slide
; campfire area; RV park; and two conference buildings.
and fishing
club. In 1968, developers Thomas Anderson and George Basham bought Brookhaven, built motel units, sold residential lots around the lake, and incorporated the hunting and fishing club. During these years, the lodge they built became a popular catfish
restaurant.
In 1974, the James Robison
Evangelistic Association acquired the lodge property, which had previously been a private hunting
and fishing
club. The name was changed to Brookhaven Retreat, Camp, and Conference Center. The center began running Christian
weekend retreats and programmed summer camps for youth. In the spring of 1984, the center was purchased by Dallas businessman A.C. Musgrave, Jr., who incorporated the nonprofit and allowed it to operate independently of any other organization.
Hawkins, Texas
Hawkins is a city in Wood County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,331 at the 2000 census. A post office was established in Hawkins in 1873.-Geography:Hawkins is located at ....
in the Piney Woods
Piney Woods
The Piney Woods is a temperate coniferous forest terrestrial ecoregion in the Southern United States covering of East Texas, southern Arkansas, western Louisiana, and southeastern Oklahoma. These coniferous forests are dominated by several species of pine as well as hardwoods including hickory and...
region of north East Texas
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
.
Brookhaven Retreat is a rental facility for group organized retreats. During 14 weeks from the end of May through mid-August a summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
for church youth groups is run.
The retreat and camp is situated on the shores of the 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) Brooks Lake and is surrounded by some 600 acres (2.4 km²) of forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
land.
The camp and retreat center can accommodate up to 300 people in motel style units, lodge rooms, bunkhouse, dorm, cabins, and a guesthouse. The property also contains a swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
; basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
courts; a ropes course
Ropes course
A ropes course is a challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity which usually consists of high and/or low elements. Low elements take place on the ground or only a few feet above the ground...
; playing field; recreation room; swimming pond with a zip-line
Zip-line
A zip-line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline...
, trapeze, and a large water slide
Water slide
A water slide is a type of slide designed for warm-weather or indoor recreational use at water parks. Water slides differ in their riding method and therefore size...
; campfire area; RV park; and two conference buildings.
History
In 1964, Brookhaven Country Club of Dallas purchased Brooks Lake to develop a private huntingHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
club. In 1968, developers Thomas Anderson and George Basham bought Brookhaven, built motel units, sold residential lots around the lake, and incorporated the hunting and fishing club. During these years, the lodge they built became a popular catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
restaurant.
In 1974, the James Robison
James Robison
James Robison is an American televangelist and the founder and President of the Christian relief organization Life Outreach International.-Early life and ministry:...
Evangelistic Association acquired the lodge property, which had previously been a private hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
club. The name was changed to Brookhaven Retreat, Camp, and Conference Center. The center began running Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
weekend retreats and programmed summer camps for youth. In the spring of 1984, the center was purchased by Dallas businessman A.C. Musgrave, Jr., who incorporated the nonprofit and allowed it to operate independently of any other organization.
External links
- Brookhaven Retreat official site