Upward Bound Camp - Gate Site

Upward Bound Camp sits on the historic Gates Schoolhouse property in Oregon's Santiam Canyon, at the site of the former Gates Elementary School. The schoolhouse itself was built in 1923 and served as the area's high school into the mid-1970s, later becoming a gathering place for local organizations and town events; it has been recognized by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1978, Upward Bound Camp has offered Christian-based recreational and educational camp experiences for people with disabilities aged twelve and up, building an intentionally inclusive community in partnership with local organizations across the Santiam Canyon. The camp survived the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire with only minimal damage to the schoolhouse, thanks in large part to its metal roof, even as several other campus buildings were lost. The Gates Schoolhouse is now the focus of an ongoing restoration project. Plans for the renovated building include a theater space for productions and community events, a commercial kitchen, and meeting spaces for trainings and gatherings, with an eye toward one day hosting weddings, graduations, and community celebrations alongside the camp's year-round programming.