ISLANDS IN THE DELAWARE
New Life Island – hugs the Pennsylvania shoreline just south of the Frenchtown bridge. Over the years it has been called Fabian's Island, after farmer and mason Jacob Fabian who owned it in 1900, and Godshall's Island, and Pennington Island.
It resembled a South American jungle when Gus Godshall (1859-1924) bought the 40-acre island in 1905, according to Frenchtown Uptodate (1916). But he tamed the wilderness, clearing the way for tents and bungalows to create a family resort. Uptodate claimed that at Godshall's Island “a man's family is safe; there is no bawdyism or rowdyism tolerated.”
The island might not have been that overgrown pre-Godshall, as it was the site of a boating party for The Country Club in July of 1901, whose members partied with Japanese lanterns, refreshments, music and games.
During World War I, Godshall was arrested and taken to Trenton for allegedly saying disrespectful things at the Warford House (now the Frenchtown Inn) about President Wilson, his wife and the government. Godshall said he didn't remember what he'd said because he was intoxicated at the time. Witnesses were divided on whether he was drunk or sober. Although he and his parents had all been born in Pennsylvania, his German ancestry seemed to have been a factor in his arrest. He later died at the Warford House, where he had been boarding, and his funeral was held there, too.
To backtrack a bit, the Camden Boy Scout Council bought Godshall's resort in 1916 and turned it into Camp Minitik. The accompanying picture shows the dining hall, a structure still in use. (Note the totem pole on the right.)
A 1935 directory gave the camp's capacity as “850 Scout weeks,” meaning that in the course of a summer, 850 Scouts could each spend a week there. Meanwhile, neighboring Treasure Island could provide 3,200 Scout weeks. Camp Minitik's last season was in 1946.
Next came the Philadelphia Presbyterians' Pennington Island Camp. It opened in 1950 or maybe earlier. The island is separated from the mainland by a shallow strip of water that you can usually wade through or drive across. But during the Flood of 1955, that channel was a raging torrent. So as water rose, 120 campers had to climb aboard helicopters, 20 per aircraft, to make their escape. A few hours later the island was inundated except for the flagpole.
In 1972 the Philadelphia Presbytery sold the island to the Garden State Fellowship of Regular Baptist Churches, which named it New Life Island.
The pandemic has closed the camp this season, but as of 2019, the camp had programs for ages 8 through 18. Its website urged, “Go tubing on the river, dive into the pool, play gaga, eat an ice-cream cone, paddle a canoe, shoot a bow and arrow, spend some time with God in His great creation.” The camp's slogan: “No one leaves the same.”
From "Rick's Frenchtown Encyclopedia"