About YMCA Camp Shady Brook

Back in 1894, Lizzie and Robert Bandhauer settled in a peaceful valley near Four Mile Creek and the South Platte River, making it their permanent home. After losing everything when the U.S. moved to the Gold Standard, they made the journey from Denver to the area once known as Daffodil (now Deckers) by horse and wagon. Life wasn’t easy, but they built something lasting, and even added a dance hall in 1901 to help their five daughters (and two sons!) meet new people.

Carol Todd, granddaughter of Clara Bandhauer, shares a heartwarming memory:

“My grandmother, Clara, was just 10 years old when the family moved to Shady Brook. She met my grandfather at the old dance hall, and they married in 1905. I’ll never forget what she told me in July 1969: ‘I’ve lived a long, wonderful life, with the best years in that magical valley of Shady Brook, where our only way to get around was by horse and wagon. And now I’ve seen a man walk on the moon, imagine that, all in one lifetime!’ She passed away in 1973 at the age of 89.”

In the 1920s, the Bandhauer family sold Shady Brook Farm to the Day family, who turned it into a charming guest ranch. They brought in horses and built small cabins for visitors to enjoy the beauty of the mountains. Their “Day’s Dude Ranch” welcomed guests for years until 1948, when the YMCA purchased the 140-acre property for $15,000. Today, the lovely mountain that overlooks the camp is affectionately known as Day Mountain.