Dodd Hall Camp

Camp Pinnacle 4-H Camp, Wardensville, WV
Open Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday noon- 4 p.m.

Beautiful jagged rocks tower above Camp Pinnacle, Hardy County’s 4-H Camp. One
hundred and eighty-acres of forest, river and fields have provided thousands of young
people with a camp they can call home for 90 years. The 4-H clubs are the youth program
of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted through West Virginia
University and local county support since the early 1900s. Hardy County has one of the few
4-H camps in West Virginia owned, maintained and operated by the local 4-H community.
Hardy County 4-H camping began in 1922, joining with Grant County at Harness Ford
on the South Branch Potomac River near Moorefield. For over a decade using borrowed
equipment, tents and supplies, a 4-H camp experience was held each summer. However, the
true spirit of 4-H was tested when a 1936 flood washed away all of the property, supplies and
small structures the camp possessed.
It was time to act on a permanent location for a Hardy County 4-H Camp. Mr. S.L. Dodd,
West Virginia University County Extension Agent, was eager to take the lead.
To avoid a summer without camp, Mr. Dodd recruited a volunteer committee to search for
suitable real estate and funding sources. Although several locations were considered and one
site in Old Fields was almost chosen, the “Haycock Farm” suddenly became available in the
spring of 1936. Fundraising, local bank support and donations from civic groups moved the
dream to a reality. A farm house, river frontage, forest acreage, hiking trails, a swimming hole, and an old farmhouse with a kitchen strongly appealed to the committee. Located four miles west of Wardensville off a main road, this land was the answer to the 4-H program’s camp dream. Called the “Haycock Farm camp”, records state that later it was named “Camp Pinnacle”, the result of a naming contest for county youth.
By 1950, the 4-H program was expanding, and Mr. Dodd felt it was time to start a campaign to construct a main camp building. Another committee was immediately formed in 1951 to design, raise funding, and secure a construction foreman. The group designed a sturdy concrete block building, a kitchen, a large meeting area with a fireplace, and a long deep outside porch for gathering and programs. At Mr. Dodd’s 1953 retirement celebration, the county 4-H leaders dedicated the building to be named “Dodd Hall” in honor of his extensive leadership in this major project. Other changes have been made at Dodd Hall over the years. In the 1990s, the building’s concrete block was covered with log siding to provide a more rustic look. At that time, an indoor serving area was added with storage and work surfaces. The removal of the old cook
stove eventually led to the installation of restaurant-quality appliances and a pantry for food
storage. The 1950s windows and roofing were updated as time passed. An important change in the early 2000s was the installation of a walkway from the road. Including a railing with ADA specifications and an automatic door to provide easier access for
people with mobility challenges. Even with changes and the later additions of other camp structures, Dodd Hall remains the heart of Camp Pinnacle. This special place will live on in the memories of 4-Hers, church and school groups, and for many families who spent time under those jagged rocks on a beautiful camp day. It is a true living legacy from Mr. Dodd and the volunteers who worked hard to make it possible.

Open courtesy of Camp Pinnacle and Hardy County 4-H Association
Location: Pinnacle Dr., Wardensville WV