I want to be very clear upfront in this article that I’m not making any accusations, or blaming anyone, or saying what happened is anything short of a horrific tragedy. In fact, I said yesterday this is probably the most horrific story I’ve covered here in 10 years. And nothing in this article changes that. Are we clear? Go up and re-read all of that one more time because I don’t want any hate in the comments below.   But we do investigative journalism here, and sometimes that means I show you things that just don’t look or feel right. When this story first broke, apart from my obvious first reactions that this is the most awful thing I’ve heard in a long, long time, my second thought was why do they keep calling it a “Christian” camp if the name is “Camp Mystic”? That’s a very bizarre name for a Christian camp. Much more common might be something like Camp Redeemer, Camp Cornerstone, River of Life Camp, Refuge Ridge….you get the idea. But Camp Mystic? Mystics and Mysticism is in direct conflict to Christianity. (I did ask ChatGPT about the name and it offered a flimsy suggestion that the area where the camp is located is just so beautiful that it might feel Mystical) But anyway, right out of the gate I’ve been a bit perplexed by that, but that’s not the main thing I wanted to show you. The main thing is details are now emerging that the “Christian summer camp” has deep connections to Texas’ political elite and other power brokers: Ok… this paints an entirely new picture for me… wow • The daughters of former Texas Govs. Dan Moody, Price Daniel, and John Connally, who was shot as he sat next to President John F. Kennedy when he was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, all attended the camp. The daughters,… pic.twitter.com/cxsjSRNNrQ — MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) July 5, 2025 Again, I’m not saying there is anything nefarious going on here, I’m just saying why do strange details like this always seem to pop up in these big national tragic news stories? Here’s a brief summary of just some of the big name connections to the camp: • The daughters of former Texas Govs. Dan Moody, Price Daniel, and John Connally, who was shot as he sat next to President John F. Kennedy when he was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, all attended the camp. The daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters of Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson — JFK’s successor and one of Texas’s most formidable politicians — also summered at Camp Mystic. • James Baker, who served as chief of staff to Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, sent his daughter and a granddaughter to Camp Mystic. • First lady Laura Bush was a Camp Mystic counselor, years before she married George W. Bush • Campers would go on to “become executives for Neiman Marcus, dance with London’s Royal Ballet, own a Gymboree franchise in the former Soviet Union, or marry well and become the kind of intensely focused volunteers who would probably be happier as CEOs,” • Aside from when the federal government leased Camp Mystic as “a convalescent camp for Army Air Corps veterans of World War II” between 1943 and 1945, it has operated continuously since its founding, according to the Texas State Historical Association. The NY Post reports a deep connection to this camp among Texas elite:  “I don’t care where my goddaughter goes to college, but I do care where she goes to camp,” Mystic alum Catherine Jones told a reporter.  More: Camp Mystic, situated along the Guadalupe River in the tiny town of Hunt, has been a beloved summer retreat for some of the most influential young women in the Lone Star State — and national politics, according to a 2011 Texas Monthly story The Post discovered Friday. Camp Mystic, where nearly two dozen girls are missing after horrifying flooding, has catered to the Texas political elite for generations. The daughters of former Texas Govs. Dan Moody, Price Daniel, and John Connally, who was shot as he sat next to President John F. Kennedy when he was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, all attended the camp, according to the outlet. The daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters of Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson — JFK’s successor and one of Texas’s most formidable politicians — also summered at Camp Mystic, per Texas Monthly. James Baker, who served as chief of staff to Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, sent his daughter and a granddaughter to Camp Mystic, the outlet added. While attending Southern Methodist University, future first lady Laura Bush was a Camp Mystic counselor, years before she married George W. Bush, who would serve as Texas governor he, like his father, became president, according to Texas Monthly. Campers would go on to “become executives for Neiman Marcus, dance with London’s Royal Ballet, own a Gymboree franchise in the former Soviet Union, or marry well and become the kind of intensely focused volunteers who would probably be happier as CEOs,” the outlet wrote. Maybe it’s just me, but it feels more De Moley / Masonic than it does Christian.  But maybe I’m off base. According to their website which is hard to load right now, I do see crosses in several photos and campers frequently dressed in all white, which feels a bit cultish but also may symbolize purity. Camp Mystic describes itself this way on its homepage: Camp Mystic is a private Christian summer camp for girls. Established in 1926, Mystic is nestled among cypress, live oak, and pecan trees in the hill country of west-central Texas on the banks of the beautiful Guadalupe River. Mystic is located near the geographical center of Texas, 18 miles northwest of Kerrville. The staff at Mystic strives to provide young girls with a wholesome Christian atmosphere in which they can develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem. Each summer, Mystic challenges its campers to meet the Mystic ideals: Be a better person for being at Mystic Let Mystic bring out the best in them Grow spiritually Campers develop life-long friendships with other campers and counselors. They also learn incredible life skills. A summer camping experience at Camp Mystic is an important investment in your daughter’s education. And a page titled “Inspiration” adds this about the camp: Inspiration Mystic is a nondenominational Christian camp and provides its campers and counselors with many different ways in which they can grow spiritually. Sunday at Camp Mystic is a day of rest, relaxation, and worship. Everyone is encouraged to visit Chapel Hill, a special place overlooking Mystic, for prayer and Sunday services. Devotionals are held on Sunday mornings along the banks of the beautiful Guadalupe River. Campers and counselors join together to sing songs, listen to scripture, discover ways to grow spiritually, and learn to apply these lessons to their daily life at camp and back home. Vespers services are held every Sunday evening on Chapel Hill and are designed to appeal to the spiritual life of every camper. Catholic Mass is also offered on Saturday evenings to those campers who wish to attend. Once a term, Mystic offers a sunrise Holy Communion service on Chapel Hill. Throughout the week Mystic continues to create a spiritual environment for all to learn and grow from. Campers and counselors help lead devotionals after breakfast every morning. Bible studies are offered for campers and counselors alike. Nightly cabin devotionals give everyone an opportunity to end the day on a positive and inspirational note. In my review, I see a blend of clear Christian concepts like Bible study, church services, Communion and other things layered in with a strong focus on “growing spiritually” and having a “spiritual environment” and doing personal development. Not to say all of those things need to be mutually exclusive. A very lengthy article by Texas Monthly from 2011 describes the camp as what feels to me almost more like the Skull & Bones of Yale for summer camps rather than anything you or I might recognize from our experiences — but again, maybe that’s just me: Ask almost any woman who has attended Camp Mystic for her memories of summer, and she will respond with, well, mystical joy. For those whose recollections of camp involve bullying and blood-sucking insects, this may be a baffling sentiment. But for the generations of females, aged eight to seventeen, who have crowded the unair-conditioned cabins of the girls-only camp since 1939, Mystic is a haven. There is fried chicken every Sunday. The cabins have names like Wiggle Inn and Chatter Box. The word “Mystic” is emblazoned on Sky High with jury-rigged lightbulbs. The meanest thing someone can do is put Saran Wrap over the toilet seat. And there is always someone to listen, and to figure out what makes a particular girl tick: Even if she can’t shoot a bow and arrow or pull the team to victory in War Canoe, she might, at the end of session, be chosen Most Improved. The camp has always served as a near-flawless training ground for archetypal Texas women. For the current fee of $4,375 for a thirty-day session, Mystic girls learn to shoot rifles, ride horses, catch bass, hike in the August sun without complaint, and face down a rattlesnake or two. In blistering tribe competitions—campers are divided into Kiowas and Tonkawas—they learn the value of teamwork. A long line of notable alumnae reveals the kind of girl that Mystic attracts: Mary Martin, who famously played a sprightly, tirelessly cheerful boy, was the first celebrity camper; she was followed by the daughters of governors Price Daniel, Dan Moody, and John Connally. LBJ’s daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters attended; James Baker sent a daughter and a granddaughter. Laura Bush worked as a counselor between terms at Southern Methodist University. Mystic girls say their camp days prepare them for the real world: They become executives for Neiman Marcus, dance with London’s Royal Ballet, own a Gymboree franchise in the former Soviet Union, or marry well and become the kind of intensely focused volunteers who would probably be happier as CEOs. But most important, Mystic girls make friendships that last forever. Not only do they form a “Mystic mafia” that stretches all over the world, but they also help one another get into Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Texas, the Junior League, and, if need be, a clinical trial at MD Anderson. These bonds are forged in no small part by the history and ethos of the camp itself. The current incarnation of Mystic was founded on the eve of World War II by Agnes Stacy and has been owned by the same family for three generations. There’s a legacy of strong women: Campers remember how Agnes swam nearly a mile each morning in the Guadalupe; or how her successor, Inez Harrison, insisted that “the spirit of Camp Mystic is love”; or how Tweety Eastland, who has operated the camp with her husband, Dick, since the eighties, comforted them when they were homesick. And then there is a pervading sense of togetherness: Dick’s brother, Stacy, has helped guide the camp’s legal decisions over the years; his sister, Nancy, was once a counselor. Three of Dick and Tweety’s four sons now work at the camp, as do two daughters-in-law. Response to these details online has been mixed: What do you think? Odd or a big nothing-burger? RELATED: UPDATE On Camp Mystic Tragedy — Many Still Missing