Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch (ISCR) is a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

camp in southern

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

serving over 22,000 people per year. Founded by Bob Bardwell, ISCR's express purpose is to provide an atmosphere and opportunity for adults and children to get to know themselves, others and

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

better. Ironwood Springs has been a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

since 1976. The camp gets its name from the hundreds of Ironwood trees on the land and the boiling springs along the Root River.

History

Since 1969, Bob Bardwell (wheelchair marathon racer and author) had a dream to start or work at a Christian camp when he worked at Horn Creek Ranch in

Westcliffe, Colorado Westcliffe is a statutory town that is the county seat of Custer County, Colorado, United States. At the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 435. History File:D&RGW Train Depot In Westcliffe, Colorado.jpg, The restored D&RGW depot in Augu ...

. God used Bob's experiences at this camp to show him the spiritual, social, and emotional impact a Christian camp can have on a child for lifetime. After leaving Horn Creek Ranch, it was Bardwell's goal to start a Christian camp of his own. In 1973, Bardwell finished

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...

and got married. That same year he was paralyzed from the waist down in a heavy construction accident. This event led to a series of changes that allowed Bob to see the Lord's purpose and plan for his life. By 1976, land that Bob's father, Lester Bardwell, had purchased was transformed into the start of a non-profit,

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. The term has been used in the context of various faiths, including Jainism, Baháʼí Faith, Zoro ...

, independent Christian camp. "Bob's dream was realized."http://www.ironwoodsprings.com/aboutironwood.aspx About Ironwood Springs webpage *The first thing to be built was the driveway. The trails were the next thing to be developed. The current staff house was the first building built and served as the lodge with bunks and a kitchen. *1978 - the main lodge was built up the hill. *1980 to 1984 - the swimming pool, tennis courts, and the Solid Oaks Stables were built. *1990 - the log-dining hall that is attached to the main lodge was built. *1990 to 1997 - seven cabins were built. *1991 - the recreation center was built. *1995 - across the river to the north were purchased. *1996 to 2000 - building of the chapel with logs from Whitewater State Park. *1997 - two bridges were donated. *2001 - the main office building was opened. *2002 to 2005 - Castner Riding Arena. *2007 - the opening of the Miracle Lodge, a 3-story, 27 room lodge designed to be 100% wheelchair accessible.

References

{{Summer camps in Minnesota Christian summer camps in the United States Summer camps in Minnesota Buildings and structures in Olmsted County, Minnesota

History

Related links

References