Many people may be aware of the well-known camp meetings and Chautauquas — Oak Bluff, Ma., Ocean Grove, N.J. and Chautauqua N.Y. But did you know that there are several in Southeastern Pa.? And that most share a communal plan around a central green and meeting hall, surrounded by cottages that were often originally tents and cabins? Many camp meetings were started by the Methodists in the mid-19th century, such as Concord and Chester Heights Camp Meetings in Delaware County. Perkasie Camp Meeting in Bucks Co. was non-denominational. Mt. Gretna, near Hershey, started as a Chautauqua, and a camp meeting was later built next to it.

Robert Wise has documented camp meetings from Eagles Mere, Pa. to Southeastern Pennsylvania, helping to list four of them on the National Register of Historic Places. Bob helped us to learn more about a fascinating part of American history, their incredible architecture, and discover what happened to these once remote destinations — made possible in part by railroads — where people once visited by the thousands, and what's there today.

Robert J. Wise, Jr., Principal Senior Architectural Historian at Richard Grubb & Associates (RGA), has been professionally active in historic preservation for over 30 years. He has a MS in Historic Preservation from University of Pennsylvania, a MBA from Penn State, and a BA in History from Dickinson College. Mr. Wise provides project management and directs cultural resource investigations for RGA. He is based in Chester County, and the majority of his work has been in southeast Pennsylvania. Previously Mr. Wise operated Wise Preservation Planning, LLC and was senior planner at the Brandywine Conservancy's Environmental Management Center.