▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁were ▁in ade qu ate , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁being ▁enc ro ached ▁upon ▁by ▁the ▁urban ▁spraw l ▁of ▁nearby ▁Pe oria . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁that ▁a ▁new ▁camp ▁should ▁be ▁constructed , ▁far ▁enough ▁from ▁civil ization ▁that ▁boys ' ▁surv ival ▁skills ▁could ▁be ▁put ▁to ▁the ▁test . ▁Other ▁criteria ▁for ▁this ▁new ▁camp ▁included ▁a ▁lake , ▁a ▁river , ▁and ▁enough ▁space ▁to ▁allow ▁cam ps ites ▁priv acy ▁and ▁community . ▁Many ▁sites ▁were ▁considered , ▁but ▁eventually ▁a ▁ 6 0 0 - acre ▁plot ▁located ▁ 3 6 ▁miles ▁west ▁of ▁Pe oria ▁on ▁Illinois ▁Route ▁ 1 1 6 ▁near ▁London ▁M ills ▁was ▁chosen ▁for ▁its ▁rolling ▁hills , ▁me adows , ▁and ▁natural ▁wood lands , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁its ▁river ▁access ▁and ▁location ▁within ▁the ▁famous ▁Spo on ▁River ▁country . ▁The ▁site ▁also ▁contained ▁a ▁brick ▁ran ch - style ▁house ▁far ▁from ▁the ▁main ▁road , ▁considered ▁perfect ▁for ▁housing ▁a ▁camp ▁r anger . ▁ ▁With ▁a ▁site ▁decided , ▁the ▁Cre ve ▁Co eur ▁Council ▁then ▁focused ▁its ▁efforts ▁on ▁pay ing ▁for ▁the ▁land . ▁At ▁$ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁( rough ly ▁$ 4 2 8 , 0 0 0 ▁today ), ▁finding ▁the ▁money ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁difficult . ▁Hop ing ▁to ▁find ▁one ▁don or ▁who