CASCO — Nestled among the tall pines along Pleasant Lake, Hoop Camp is about as serene as any Maine summer camp can be, even when nearly 100 campers are dribbling or clanging basketballs off rims and backboards.

That was not the case on one Thursday in 1974, when a microburst swept through the camp and left a frightening trail of destruction.

Seven cabins and several cars were crushed as over 100 trees flopped to the ground like Pau Gasol defending the low post. Remarkably, no one was hurt.

After the storm, staff scrambled to find shelter for the campers and inform parents, most of whom didn’t even know what had happened.

“I can remember trying to find these registration cards with the parents’ phone numbers on them and going to the IGA in the village to use the pay phone to tell them their kids was okay,” Fern Masse said.

The frightened campers, mostly nine and 10 years old, retreated to the main lodge and slept under tables.

“We went and got whatever dry sleeping bags we could and we all slept in the lodge,” Sandra Philbrook said. “We had a lady who walked in at two in the morning to get her child.”

It took three weeks to clean up the damage and re-open the camp. Always a family operation, Hoop Camp was fortunate enough to have a large extended family help

“It really was a mess,” Malcolm Philbrook said. “But you know what was memorable about that was most of the coaches stayed and helped. They all pitched in, which was really great.”