“It’s definitely a good ghost story”, says Rusty as she tells of her encounter with Kingo. She’s in the trees, she’s in the leaves, the buildings. There is nothing bad. She’s watching over everyone.

Some time, not too long ago, Rusty, who was teaching theatre at the camp and the maintenance man named Phil were sitting in the evening in a cabin on the Perry-Mansfield campus named Cabeen. This is an old cabin formerly owned by Charlotte Perry’s sister, Magorie Perry. They were reading Tarot Cards and asking each other questions.

At one point, Rusty, asked a question about Charlotte. At that moment a little grey mouse ran out from one side of the fireplace and walked across to the other side.

A few more questions were asked then another question came concerning Charlotte. Again the little mouse came out and walked across the front of the fireplace as if to say – I’m here.

Phil and Rusty, a little puzzled, switched the topic of the questions. Each time they returned to a question about Charlotte, the mouse would appear without one exception. Hours and many questions later they were convinced without doubt that her spirit was there.

It was peaceful, nothing scary. There was no fire in the fireplace, it was a wonderful evening!
Portia Mansfield was a calm, easy going flighty, singing happy dancer. Charlotte Perry portraying many of the opposite of these traits, was well remembered as the intense, tall and thin redhead. Helen Smith the third of the three friends was the quiet brain of the group.

The times and experiences of those who knew them are precious. The spirits of these three wonderful women and others are all over the camp and have been seen often since their deaths. The stories are told by many who have seen them....


This photo was taken in the Fall of 2002. Some say it's a glare from the sun as the photo is taken looking over the Equestrian Center through the woods to Cabeen. Others say it's Charlotte getting into the picture to let us know she is there watching over the camp.Among the 62 buildings on the 72 acre Perry-Mansfield Campus, Little Ballet was one of the favorites of Portia and Charlotte. The building sits up on the hill over the costume design studio. Many people have heard the piano playing and have seen the two of them dancing in the evening moonlight. After being compelled to go up the stairs to the dance theatre, only to find there is no one at the piano, there is no one dancing. Down the stairs again, to hear the faint sound again of the piano playing!Although no one knows if it’s really true or not, many say they have seen the ghost of the young beautiful New York girl named Eve who was said to have died back by the Beaver Pond toward the back of the property. As this long told camp story goes ….


Kingo (Charlotte Perry) would frequently recruit young talented dancers from New York where she stayed in the winters. One year a young woman named Eve was invited to come to Steamboat to Perry-Mansfield for the summer along with her handsome boyfriend, who we believe was called Tom. She was a dancer and he was in the theatre. The young couple was very much in love.

As the summer went on, a young beautiful evil girl from California came to camp and stole Tom’s attention away from Eve. They had an affair. Tom felt very guilty and the evil girl told him that if he didn’t break up with Eve she would tell the whole camp about his unfaithfulness.

Tom decided he should take Eve on a walk back by the beaver pond. He told her what he had done and she became hysterical. To calm her, he slapped her across the face and she fell to the ground hitting her head on a rock. He, assuming she was dead and not knowing what to do, threw her into the beaver pond.

No one ever knew exactly what happened as he went totally insane and was admitted to an institution. They searched for Eve’s body and never found it.

This part for sure is true…
even today ...and many have seen her..if you walk down to the beaver pond at dusk and call to Eve

"Eve come up from the pond. Your spirit is not dead”, she will rise from the pond to respond to the calling.
There are frequently sightings by many different residents of the camp. In September of 2002, the camp caretaker was out feeding the horses late at night. He was walking in behind Louis Horst studio calling for the horses. He could hear laughter and music inside Louis - when he approached he noticed the lights were on inside. The music subsided when he got right next to the building - but when he walked a short distance away it started up again and he could hear feet pounding the floor and laughter again. Louis Horst was the first building on camp to be locked up for the winter, the doors are screwed shut. No one has been in it since the last week of August!