History

Kinasao has not always been a host to the many people who come to use it's facilities; it began as a dream way back in July of 1937. A few days later a trial camp took place and the following year the first camp was held at a site that is now called Bell's Beach. Interest developed to purchase property for a Lutheran Bible Camp, and in the fall of 1939 a Board of Directors was established and a quarter section of land right next to Bell's Beach (then called Johnson' s Beach) was bought with the help of some very generous people.

The summer of 1940 saw the first camp to be held on the Kinasao property. On July seventh of that year a dedication service was held. At this point the building facilities consisted of a log cabin. Church services were held in a tent. The chapel that is still used today was designed and constructed by volunteers in 1940. This was followed by a kitchen with open walls in 1942. It was replaced approximately ten years later with a metal dining hall. Sunday July 18th, 1965 was set aside to mark the Bible Camp's twenty-fifth Anniversary.

The heavy snows of the winter of 1973-74 brought with them the destruction of the metal kitchen, which collapsed. It was restored to useable condition, but now plans were made for the construction of the retreat centre and work began in October of 1974. The building was enclosed by mid-December of that year and work on the new facilities was suspended until the following spring. Since then, the camp has had many new leaders and new ideas and has grown and changed every year, and still continues to grow and change.