By the 1850s, the battlefield was already attracting visitors and picnickers. A refreshing artesian spring was discovered, and the Louisville, New Albany, & Salem Railroad laid its tracks along the eastern edge of the battlefield. A large wooden frame refreshment stand was erected on land adjacent to the battlefield to serve the growing number of visitors.
The stand and surrounding acreage became the property of the Northwest Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church in 1857. The building served as a school — the Battle Ground Collegiate Institute — until 1862, when it was replaced by a larger structure.
In 1873 the battle site was enclosed by an iron fence, which survives to this day. Two years later the land just north of the fence was developed as a Methodist campground. The boarding house was remodeled into a hotel, and a 2500-seat tabernacle was erected. The Battle Ground campground became extremely popular, and as many as 10,000 persons attended special programs.
By the early 1920s the campground had become basically a retreat area for youth.
The camp was active through the early sixties and new buildings were erected to replace the old. A sesquicentennial celebration in 1961 attracted 10,000 people to Battle Ground, but interest in maintaining the old camp and the battlefield dwindled after the event. Although great plans were made for the area, the camp eventually shut down and the grounds were neglected.