The Epworth League, formed in Cleveland in 1889 to spiritually develop Methodist Church youth members, spread in Texas and organized a statewide league in 1892. From 1906 to 1919, the league met on the south Texas coast near Corpus Christi, where it was known as "Epworth-by-the-Sea" until a severe storm forced its relocation. In 1923, the West Texas Conference of the Methodist Church adopted a resolution to establish a new encampment, and in 1924, with community support, trustees acquired 200 acres west of Kerrville, extending from the Guadalupe River to the top of what is now called Mount Wesley. A neighborhood was then built next to the encampment to house families attending the annual gathering, and on April 1, 1924, the first lots were offered for sale. Eventually about 100 homes and cottages were constructed, many with help from preachers, their families, and community members. The neighborhood attracted notable residents including Ella (Byler) Dobie, mother of Texas writer J. Frank Dobie, who often visited Kerrville and wrote in his mother's cottage. At a time when preachers and their families traveled and could not put down roots, this neighborhood became the place they called home, and some houses are still owned by descendants of the original families. Like many camps in the area, the encampment arose because of the region's scenic beauty and healthful climate.