about us

history & mission

Tower Hill Camp and Retreat Center is a place of acceptance, diversity, and community which supports a journey of growth with reverence for our natural surroundings.

The Spanish Flu pandemic in the United States ended in 1919. By November of 1923, Tower Hill Camp in Sawyer, Michigan was born with the express purpose of providing a place of rest, comfort, and recreation. Placed near the shores of Lake Michigan and designed for housing ministers and children connected with the mission of what is now the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ. In 2023, we celebrate our 100th year in offering campers our wooded splendor.

A century ago, our ancestors came out of a pandemic knowing that places of rest, comfort, and recreation would be vital to the health and well-being of our church leaders and of our young people. With your help, we can continue to be a place where leaders, youth, and families can have their spirits renewed and refreshed.

Support us

If you have a particular project or piece of equipment that you would like to help with or donate to Tower Hill, contact our office and we’ll work with you to achieve that goal. We have many needs and we appreciate and depend on your support to achieve these goals. Designated Gifts have been used for small & large projects. Tower Hill has used designated gifts to replace bedding, paint buildings and remodel bath houses in the Pines.
Tower Hill has a scholarship fund that assists youth and adults. Scholarships are available for our UCC Camps and Retreats, UCC Church Confirmation Groups, UCC Intergenerational or Family Camps.
Century Club is designed for individuals, churches and organizations that want to donate $100 a year for 5 years to Tower Hill. These funds are for special projects such as building the climbing wall at Tower Hill and various equipment needs on site. All you have to do to be a member is commit to donating and call Tower Hill at 269-426-3881. Century Club Members are listed on a plaque in the Tower Hill Dining Hall.
The most important thing any of you can do to keep the camp operational is to come and use us. Tower Hill is open year round and offers many unique opportunities for retreats, family escapes, youth enrichment and spiritual transformation. Call Tower Hill and see if we can help you with your next adventure.
Deer Creek Open Spaces began a 3 year capital campaign in July 2013 to raise $525,000 to place 25-30 acres of Tower Hill Camp into a Conservation Easement. We celebrated the completion of this campaign in October 2015. The Tower Hill Woods is now an open space with wooded trails for hiking, exploring, birding and educational opportunities. The acreage also includes God’s Mailbox and benches throughout for rest and meditation.
$25,000 Flooring for Schrag
$20,000 Roof for Wales Dining Hall: Completed 2023
$20,000 Flooring for dining hall: Completed 2024
$10,000 Used truck/suv
$10,000 Repurposing climbing tower (Grant for $2500, Century Club of $2500)
$8,000 - $14,000 Electric Utility Vehicle with plow
$7000 - $10,000 New HVAC for Gammon
$7000 Lined curtains in Schrag
$5000 - New water heaters (dining hall, campground, Bungalow, Schrag 3)
$5000 Tree work
$6000 - $15,000 Lawnmower
$1000 Roof on Valley 4: completed 2024
$4000-upgrades for The Pines (new paint, curtains, shutters) Completed 2025
$4000 Upgrade beds/bedding in retreat centers (replace full with queen size)
$1000 Trail markers and Bike racks
Solar panels