ALLEGANY — The Allegany community has spent the last year renovating a serene family sanctuary nestled deep in the woods along the West Fork of the Millicoma River. 

The community wants to share it with others.

“We want everyone to see our hidden treasure,” said Cynthia Brophy, a leading proponent behind the renovations. “People don’t even know we exist.”

This Saturday will mark the culmination of all the hard work when the community hosts an open house at Camp Millicoma. From 1 to 4 p.m. everyone is invited to come eat barbecued meats, sip refreshments and check out the charming getaway.

The campsite, hidden eight miles off the Coos River Highway from the Allegany store, had been somewhat forgotten since it was last claimed in the late 1960s by Girl Scouts of the USA. After the organization turned over ownership to the Millicoma River Park and Recreation District in the mid-1980s, the camp fell into disrepair, until recently when the community brought it back to life.

The renovations have been fueled solely by donated supplies, time and money.

Last September, a family of four from Idaho moved to the site. Husband, Lee Myers, works up to 10 hours a day replacing planks in the three bunk houses or doing other labor, while his wife, also named Lei, makes sure the camp stays a family friendly site. Their two teenage children even help out whacking weeds.

“When we first came here, the roof was caved in. There was trash everywhere. Everything was overgrown,” Lei said. “We wanted to make it so families could bring their kids here.”

Today there are 14 spacious campsites lined with lush green foliage, the scent of burnt pine lingers in the fire pits and wooden picnic tables offer a place to sit. Inmates from Shutter Creek Correctional Institution came out to help clear trails down to the river and Blue Ridge Timber Cutting donated a bridge to link the camp to the Millicoma Interpretive Center Pond. 

Inside the lodge there also are full-service bathrooms and a kitchen — equipped with a fridge and stove — campers can use. It costs $10 a night to rent a camp space, and $15 for a bunk house, which fits eight people.

Three weeks ago the town held the Treasures of Allegany history and garden tour, raising $1,600 to put toward cleaning and construction supplies.

“The community really supports all the fundraisers,” Brophy said.

Lei Meyers also is working on a grant that would go fund an interpretive center. The center would be created to teach children about local history, conservation and the heritage of Coos and Curry Indian tribes. She will find out if it is approved by March.  

“The only way to keep history alive is to share it,” Lei said.