The History of Five Points Mission & Camp Olmsted

Five Points Mission was named for the region just north of New York City Hall where five streets converged at an open square. In the 1800's this area was characterized by all types of social ills and its residents were the "undesirables" of society. The notorious reputation of this area has been written about in several historical books and was depicted in both a movie and book titled “GANGS of NEW YORK”.

In 1848, the Ladies of the Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church focused on the Five Points community. They worked with immigrants and the disenfranchised, using a model inspired by Charles Loring Brace, founder of the Children's Aid Society. This approach aimed to transform harmful urban environments into healthier spaces for mothers and children. Their efforts began in a renovated building near Five Points, known as the Old Brewery. The mission was established by Pastor Alexander Raleigh in 1853 as the center of missionary and humanitarian enterprise in the neighborhood. The mission provided housing, clothes, food, and education, and it provided 58 rooms for living space. 

At the turn of the century it became apparent that there was a need for a camp to take the children and their mothers to during the summer. In 1901, Camp Olmsted was opened as the Olmsted Fresh Air Home of Five Points Mission in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. The purpose of the camp was to serve as a "vacation" away from the depressed living conditions in the city. The 21-acre parcel of land was given to Five Points by Sarah and John Olmsted. Over the years immigrant children took the Hudson River Day Liner to Cornwall-On-Hudson landing and then were picked up or walked the one mile to camp.