Craigville Village is celebrating its 150^th Anniversary this summer and many special events are planned.
 
Founded in 1872, Craigville Village overlooks Nantucket Sound and Craigville Beach. A small village of 115 quaint cottages, it is home to the historic Craigville Tabernacle and the Craigville Retreat Center, which hosts religious and educational retreats and conferences throughout the year.
 
150 years ago, the village began as a collection of tent platforms built for the first camp meeting of the New England Convention of Christian Churches. The Christian Camp Meeting Association held its first “Big Sunday” on the grounds on July 29, 1872. Sixty-one ministers of the Christian Churches, as well as clergy and laity of several denominations participated in the first 10-day camp meeting. The historic Massachusetts Conference has a long history in partnership with Craigville. The anniversary summer pays tribute to the beginnings of this camp meeting and traces its evolution over time (Visit https://grasshopper-dory-nn45.squarespace.com/150th-anniversary-celebration) Among the highlights:
 

• A history lecture series that looks at Craigville’s land: its geology, archeology, and Wampanoag heritage; Craigville’s founders’ inclusive, ecumenical vision; and Craigville’s future;
• A music series celebrating the 141^st anniversary of the Tabernacle’s Hook and Hastings organ, a string and jazz concert, and a homegrown musical showcasing local talent;
• “Big Sunday” on July 29, an ecumenical worship service featuring Rev. John Dorhauer, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, the successor denomination to Craigville’s founders, followed later in the day with a community-wide picnic on the Bluff overlooking Craigville Beach Association;
• A tour of five village homes organized by the Red Lily Pond Project, the local environmental group overseeing the health of the local lake and pond;
• A new Craigville Archive housed at Barnstable’s Sturgis Library. Craigville’s history is also featured this summer in special exhibits sponsored by the Centerville Historical Museum and Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich.

 
The Christian Camp Meeting Association invites you visit Craigville’s new website, www.craigville.org, to learn more about the village history and a recently compiled collection of historic photographs and vignettes of some of its founders and leaders. The website also provides a historic timeline of the village’s development from 1872 to today. A full calendar of anniversary events is also on the website. 
Press inquiries may be directed to Bill McKinney, president of Christian Camp Meeting Association, at (508)280-5820  or by email: billmckinneymass@gmail.com