The name La Junta comes from an old Indian word which means “the gathering place.” The La Junta Experience began in 1928 with four campers and a program for camping excellence which has continued to date. Third generation campers are now enjoying La Junta for themselves, discovering their capabilities and growing in confidence as young men.
In 1928, Dr. Ferdinand Walsh, invited family friends to send their children to spend the summer with him at his Hill Country home. The two story rock structure still remains adjacent to the current stables. In preparation of the summer of 1929, Dr. Walsh built three small cabins to house nearly 30 boys who would spend 8 weeks with him. One of those original cabins still remains in the backyard. In 1931, Dr. Walsh with his son Ralph, bought the adjacent property and built what is still today the main grounds of Camp La Junta for Boys.
In the 1940s, the Walshes sold La Junta to Judge E.C. Gandy of Corpus Christi. In 1948, Luther and Tal Graham contracted with Judge Gandy to bring a string of horses and an exciting riding program to La Junta. They also brought their seven year old Larry to camp that summer.
Luther and Tal Graham bought La Junta in 1956, and immediately set about the task of developing the program and improving the facilities. Luther’s passion was horses, horsemanship and a cowboy’s way of life. Luther added the fundamentals of today’s outstanding riding program. Their son Larry returned home from the Navy in 1969 and gave the camp his flair for adventure, adding much of the waterfront program and the Advanced Camper Program.
In 1969, Larry Graham took the helm, continuing to shape camp into what it is today by establishing many of the cherished customs and values that continue to define the camp experience. Wrangler Dave Domingue first came to La Junta in 1968 and became an integral part of the camp’s culture, eventually making Hunt, Texas his permanent home in 1987. In 1982, Blake Smith joined the staff, and just two years later, he and his wife Cheryl moved to La Junta full-time, with Cheryl joining the team in 1985. Over the decades, together, they helped nurture the camp’s spirit and ensure its legacy endures—shaping generations of campers and staff alike.
After moving to camp and starting work in 2006, Scott and Katie Fineske took over Camp La Junta in 2022, stepping into a legacy of tradition, growth, and community that has spanned over 95 years. With a deep passion for the camp experience and a shared commitment to fostering the same sense of adventure, confidence, and personal growth that La Junta is known for, Scott and Katie have continued to build on the camp’s rich history and preserving the traditions that have made La Junta so special while bringing their own energy and vision to the camp’s future.
Growth and improvements have continued each year since 1928. As a result, La Junta has achieved wide respect for its high standards among campers, staff, parents, and other camps. The La Junta Experience remains a fun-filled, exciting time for a young man in his critical, formative years. Our goal is help boys build character, a sense of service, new life skills and an appreciation of the outdoors. Good citizenship, interpersonal skills and self-confidence are by-products of counselor relationships, group living and learning great new life skills.