Camp Winnataska was discovered in 1914 by Dr. Elwyn Ballard, Commissioner of Boy Scouts in Birmingham, and his wife, Florence Aye Ballard, who became vital forces in its founding and growth. Boy Scouts and Boys Club members from the area first camped there in tents in 1916. Through Dr. Ballard, the Interdenominational Birmingham Sunday School Association acquired the camp in 1918 and offered sessions not only for boys but for girls as well, the first organization-sponsored camping for girls in Alabama and among the first in the South. Daniel Ray Price, Executive Secretary of the Association, directed the camp from 1922 to 1957, and Rosa V. Strickland, educator and church leader, served as girls camp director from 1919 to 1954. Winnataska early received national recognition for excellence of staff, facilities, and programs.