In the spring of 1933, twenty two year old Ralston ‘Fox’ Smith started a day camp by renting property east of Chagrin Falls. Fox was teaching physical education at Malvern School in Shaker Heights and wanted to continue his work with children during the summers. In 1938, Fox rented the 161 acre Patch Farm located in Russell Township. Fox’s dream was to build and develop a permanent camp for children to serve families in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland.
The farm’s rolling hills and rugged terrain spotted with woods, fields, springs and brooks created an ideal setting for a summer camp. Soon the tall beech and sugar maple woods were dotted with Adirondack shelters. Pastures and meadows became athletic fields, the main stream was dammed to create a swimming area, and the barns became stables for an ever-growing interest in horsemanship. The farm’s original Sugar Bush remained untouched and continued to produce maple sugar throughout the life of the camp. Fox called his new creation “Red Raider”, the nickname of the Colgate University and the later Shaker Heights High School.
Initially, small groups of children from Fox’s neighborhood were brought to camp in his own car. Soon the first camp bus was purchased and for the next forty years, Red Raider buses with the familiar “Red Raider Knight” emblem flooded the eastern suburbs. Not only did day campers attend Red Raider, but a summer overnight camp evolved and eventually accommodated 120 campers and staff. In 1943, Fox was able to purchase the original property and by 1954, Red Raider had blossomed to 214 acres. At this time it boasted over forty buildings including six residential staff houses, three barns accommodating 100 horses, two large indoor riding arenas, a main dining hall and dormitory complex, three craft buildings, a maintenance building, several sleeping cabins, and a score of Adirondack shelters. Numerous trails, conservation projects, and nature study areas were also scattered throughout the dense woods.
In the summer of 1972, the adjacent 74-acre Schreve Property was purchased and Red Raider expanded to 288 acres. With this acquisition and the tremendous growth of the day camp program, the residential camp was discontinued. Red Raider continued to flourish and, at the height of its economic prosperity, the camp serviced thirty different communities from Painesville to Berea to Akron. Throughout the summer months, a dozen camp buses and five vans transported well over 600 campers and staff to Red Raider. During the fall and spring, after-school horseback riding programs expanded use of the Red Raider campus and allowed over 500 children a week year-round access to the property. Weekend retreats, hayrides, parties, and horseback riding added additional year round opportunities for thousands of eager children.
Approaching retirement, Fox sold Red Raider Camp during the summer of 1975. A few short months after this, Fox passed away. The new owners worked to maintain the integrity and character of the original Red Raider Camp though, in the end, decided to sell the property to a developer in 1980. Transcom Builders toured the property and envisioned how the trails, stables, waterfall, magnificent trees and grand natural beauty could be developed into an exclusive equestrian community. Careful and innovative planning along with ahead-of-the-times initiatives in ‘green’ living shaped Red Raider Trails, one of the most recognizable residential developments in Northeast Ohio. Today, Red Raider Trails maintains the character of Fox’s original Red Raider community. Our mission is to preserve and protect the community’s natural beauty and to foster a safe neighborly culture through inclusive governance that demonstrates responsible stewardship to maximize Red Raider’s value for present and future generations.
Red Raider Trails HOA 