About

In 1928, Father James Linehan organized a religious vocation camp for children of the Beaufort Missions who were in need of catechetical instruction.  It was located at the plantation house of William Pinckney on the Okatee River in Beaufort. The priests of the diocese and the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy provided religious instruction to area children.

In 1931, Bishop Emmett Walsh chose to prioritize the camp as a diocesan project.  After obtaining funds, he purchased property across the river from the original campsite in Okatie, for an enlarged camp with permanent buildings. Once the permanent buildings were erected, he officially designated the camp as Camp St. Mary.

The camp closed in the early 1980s. In the late 1990s the property was sold to Beaufort County to create a park.