Our History

The Claytor Lake Chapter of the IWLA was originally known as the East Radford Chapter as it was chartered on the 17th of July 1929. The first president, S.P. McConnell, and D.C. Bullock filed the charter.

The chapter originally started with 10 acres of land at the head of the longest cove on Claytor Lake. Through a series of purchases over the years, the property has now grown to 32 acres. The first improvements to the property included a picnic shelter and launch ramp. The first tent-only campsites were hand-carved out of the steep shale hillsides. A bathhouse and well followed later. A second bathhouse and 140 additional campsites have been added in the last two decades.

Chapter membership has been as low as 13 in 1959 to over 170 at the present time.

The Claytor Lake Chapter is proud of the fact that we have had three Virginia Division Presidents as chapter members. We are equally proud of having a state road running past our property, the Izaak Walton League Road. Plastic waste is a major environmental issue affecting our oceans, marine life, and ecosystems. Claytor Lake Chapter IWLA advocates for reducing plastic waste by offering alternatives and promoting recycling.