Camp Mitchell:  Youth Cabin and Hoke Lodge Renovation

Developed by the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas, Camp Mitchell has served as a youth facility since 1946.  Located along the south brow of Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton, Arkansas, it offers vistas overlooking the Arkansas River.  The project included a renovation and addition to Hoke Lodge, a master plan for a youth cabin compound, and the construction of the eastern cabin.

Hoke Lodge originally served as the camp caretaker’s house and later as the director’s house, in addition to providing storage space for the camp.  The camp lacked a reception center and large meeting facility, so the underutilized Hoke Lodge was renovated to accommodate 120 occupants.  Alterations to the building were confined to interior spaces, with only minor repairs to the exterior.  The second floor that divided the entry space was removed, expanding the volume to create a more distinct entrance and allowing upper story windows to light arriving visitors.

The youth cabin compound is a proposed project for two cabins linked together by a common group-dining hall.  The east cabin was built in 2002 during the renovation of Hoke Lodge.  Capable of accommodating forty-two campers in two separate sleeping areas, it also incorporates the ability to covert the two sleeping areas into four separate rooms if individual adult lodging is required in the future.  Material selections were based on durability and moisture resistance, while adhering to the camp’s existing palette.