| “ | How did we get these jobs with no prior experience? That's because anybody that knows anything about Camp Redwood doesn't want to be in Camp Redwood! | ” |
| — Nurse Rita to the new counselors[src] | ||
Camp Redwood, formerly known as Camp Golden Star, is an idyllic summer retreat with a history of massacre. It is the main location of the ninth season, 1984.
History[]
In 1948, the area, then called Camp Golden Star, was the site of a massacre. Lavinia Richter, the cook at the camp, killed the counselors she considered responsible for the death of her younger son Bobby, who was killed in the lake during a motor-boarding accident due to their negligence. Her eldest son, Benjamin Richter stabbed her in self-defense after witnessing his mother's crime and she tried to kill him, blaming him as well as he was supposed to be watching his brother at the time. Since then, the woman has haunted the camp as "The Lady in White", cursing the land and condemning all those who die in the area to become ghosts.[1]
Twenty-two years later in 1970, the newly reopened and rechristened Camp Redwood was the site of what is believed to be the worst summer camp massacre of all time. Benjamin, now a dishonored Vietnam veteran who worked as a janitor at the camp, was framed by Margaret Booth for the murders of all the counselors in Cabin 9, after the "Lady in White" poisoned the already apparently mentally unwell girl's mind with vengeful thoughts against her bullies in order to hurt Richter who was considered Margaret's only friend, but who she thought didn't do enough to keep her safe.[2][1] To make her story stand, she collected the victims' ears as trophies; something Richter had done as a soldier stationed in Saigon. Richter was captured and tried thanks to Margaret's testimony, who posed as the only survivor of the slaughter.[3]
One of the counselors, Jonas, was so traumatized by his own death that his ghost still wanders the woods surrounding the camp in an eternal loop of memory loss. [4]
Fourteen years later, in 1984, Margaret Booth took a small portion of the large fortune her late husband left her to buy Camp Redwood and create a safe, pure, godly and decent place for US children to escape to during the summer. Bertie, a Camp Redwood veteran who worked there as a chef when Margaret was a counselor, decided to help her out by volunteering at the camp as a chef again.
Due to the morbid history of the camp and the upcoming Olympics, Margaret was able to hire a group of inexperienced counselors and an ER nurse from Hawthorne Hospital.
The group of new counselors soon realizes that there is something sinister about the camp.[3]
One by one, the various staff members are killed in various horrific ways by Margaret, the Night Stalker and Mr. Jingles as the secrets of Camp Redwood (including an identity thief and a vindictive sister) come to the surface like bodies in the lake.[5][6]
Margaret Booth takes the opportunity to blame her new murders on Brooke Thompson (who only killed Montana in self-defense) while the two serial killers Richard Ramirez and Benjamin Richter drive to Los Angeles. The recently deceased Ray and Montana come to terms with their new ghostly condition.[7]
Most of the ghosts of the counselors and visitors who have died over the years come together to take revenge on Margaret and vent their frustration against unwary visitors, especially against true crime enthusiasts who are curious about the camp's morbid history.[8]
Rules[]
Since Margaret Booth reopened the camp, she imposed a series of regulations based on her religious beliefs.
- Girls shower in the a.m., boys in the p.m. Same goes for counselors, too.
- Girls cabin is red, boys cabin is blue and coed interaction is prohibited.
- Although masturbation is not prohibited, counselors must abstain from sex.
- All children must have a buddy to go into the water.
Staff[]
Ghost Sightings[]
It might be assumed that the spirit of everyone murdered within the supernatural demesne of Camp Redwood remains trapped within its woods. However, only some have been documented to have appeared to the living.
- Lavinia Richter - Camp cook in the summer of 1948, mass murderer.
- Bobby Richter - Lavinia's son.
- Eddie - Camp counselor in the summer of 1970.
- Helen - Camp counselor in the summer of 1970.
- Midge - Camp counselor in the summer of 1970.
- Jonas Shevoore - Camp counselor in the summer of 1970.
- Keith - Jingles Day Prankster.
- Larry - Jingles Day Prankster.
- Pete - Jingles Day Prankster.
- Ray Powell - Camp counselor in the summer of 1984, hospital orderly.
- Bertie - Camp cook in the summers of 1970 and 1984.
- Chet Clancy - Camp counselor in the summer of 1984, former olympian athlete.
- Xavier Plympton - Camp counselor in the summer of 1984, aerobics instructor, actor.
- Montana Duke - Camp counselor in the summer of 1984, aerobics instructor.
- Limahl - Lead singer of Kajagoogoo.
- Jez Strode - Drummer of Kajagoogoo.
- Nick Beggs - Bass player of Kajagoogoo.
- Steve Askew - Guitar player of Kajagoogoo.
- Stuart Neale - Keyboarder of Kajagoogoo.
- Benjamin Richter - Camp janitor in the summer of 1970, serial killer.
- Courtney - Margaret Booth's assistant.
- Trevor Kirchner - Camp activities director in the summer of 1984.
- Margaret Booth - Camp counselor in the summer of 1970, camp owner from 1984 to 1989.
Notes[]
- Filming took place at Franklin Canyon Park, California.
- According to Margaret, the lake is allegedly bottomless, and drowning is the number one cause of death for US campers.[3]
- Margaret's rule about never going alone to the lake is most likely influenced by Lavinia's painful memory of Bobby's death.[1]
- Nurse Rita pointed out that the surrounding woods are very deep, echoing Briarcliff Woods from Asylum.
- At the end of the fifth episode of the season, "Red Dawn", Richard Ramirez and Benjamin Richter drive past a guide sign that says "Los Angeles: 166 Miles", making Camp Redwood at least this much distance from Los Angeles.
- In "Final Girl", Montana says that there are over 40 souls trapped in the Camp.
- It is unclear if the ghosts of Camp Redwood can leave on Halloween or Devil's Night.
- While the camp remains intact (and of course, abandoned), anyone can seemingly still venture or even trespass onto the property. But, the fate and survival of the potentially unfortunate visitors will certainly be slim. With the exception of Bobby Richter who survived from protection of the ghosts, including Montana, others might not be so lucky.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Episode: The Lady in White
- ↑ Episode: True Killers
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Episode: Camp Redwood
- ↑ Episode: Mr. Jingles
- ↑ Episode: Slashdance
- ↑ Episode: True Killers
- ↑ Episode: Red Dawn
- ↑ Episode: Episode 100
| Locations in American Horror Story | |
|---|---|
| Murder House | |
| Asylum | |
| Coven | |
| Freak Show | |
| Hotel | |
| Roanoke | |
| Cult | |
| Apocalypse | |
| 1984 |
|
| Double Feature | |
| NYC | |
| Delicate |
|