As minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia, Dr. Sevier developed a passion for the needs and potential of youth. He started a summer camp program in Augusta and as that program developed, he decided to do a remarkable thing… start a summer camp for girls. At the time, there were many boys’ camps but very few camps for girls. For years, he explored the Blue Ridge Mountains until the ideal setting was found on the shores of Lake Summit in North Carolina. During the height of the “roaring twenties,” he established the perfect camp for girls, planning every detail even down to planting the trees that now tower over the grounds.
Dr. and Mrs. Sevier began the tradition and spirit of Greystone that grew to such renown that Life Magazine produced a feature story on the camp in 1941.
In 1945, Dr. Sevier passed away, and his daughter, Virginia, became Director and continued the quality Christian camp tradition with the loving support of her husband Joe Hanna (a South Carolina businessman). She carefully guided Greystone through the 50’s and 60s, and in 1968 Virginia passed the Greystone mantle on to her own daughter, Libby Hanna Miller. Libby and her husband, Jim (who later became known as JimDaddy), brought Greystone into the 21st century with extensive facility renovations and program modifications.
Today, Greystone is run by Jim “Jimboy” Miller (4th generation of Dr. Sevier’s family) and his wife Margaret, along with their daughter Catherine Miller Elbaum (5th generation of Dr. Sevier’s family) and her husband Peter. Jimboy, who has a Master of Divinity degree from Reformed Seminary and bachelors degree from UNC Chapel Hill, works on everything associated with day-to-day camp life. His wife, Dr. Margaret, is a Pediatrician and serves as camp’s Health Director. Catherine and Peter both graduated from Wofford College, with Catherine overseeing the overall vision for camp along with the staff experience while Peter manages camp operations.
Jimboy, Margaret, Catherine, and Peter are committed to keeping Greystone on the cutting edge of summer camps while preserving the traditions that set it apart.
Greystone celebrated its 100th year in 2019! Explore even more of Greystone’s history in the dedicated 100 Years section of our website.
Camp Greystone is a member of the American Camp Association and has achieved accreditation status for many years.