Scouting in Pennsylvania has a long and rich tradition, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. The Order of the Arrow was born at Treasure Island outside Philadelphia.
Early history (1910-1950)
Scouting in Pennsylvania formally started in 1911 with the founding of the Philadelphia council. Among the claimants for First Boy Scout Troop in the United States is Troop 1 in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is also home to the oldest annual Scouting event in the nation, the Valley Forge Pilgrimage and Encampment.
In 1913, the Philadelphia council opened the first American scout camp, Treasure Island Scout Reservation, near Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania. Two years later, Dr. E. Urner Goodman and Carrol Edson founded the Order of the Arrow, which inducted its first members on July 16, 1915 at Treasure Island. The 1921 and 1931 National Order of the Arrow Lodge Meetings were held at Philadelphia, the 1922 and 1927 National Lodge Meetings were held at Reading, Pennsylvania, and the 1940 National Lodge Meeting was held at Ligonier, Pennsylvania.
The 1950 National Jamboree was held at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Recent history (1950-1990)
The 1957 and 1964 National Jamborees were held at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Half of the 1973 National Jamboree (Jamboree East) was held at Moraine State Park in Pennsylvania, where the 1977 National Jamboree was also held.
During 1975 and 1976, Scouts in the Philadelphia area could earn a Colonial Philadelphia merit badge. It could only be counted towards palms, not any rank, and came in a green border and a very yellow-green border. This was the only time BSA National approved a regional merit badge for any such use.
Scouting in Pennsylvania today
There are twenty-four Boy Scouts of America local councils in Pennsylvania.
Allegheny Highlands Council
Allegheny Highlands Council serves Scouts in New York and McKean and Potter counties in Pennsylvania.
Baden-Powell Council
The Baden-Powell Council serves Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania and parts of New York .
Bucks County Council
The Bucks County Council, Pennsylvania is a Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Camp Ockanickon is a Scout reservation, located on Tohickon Creek in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The camp was founded in 1941 and named after a Lenape chief who assisted William Penn in the exploration of the Bucks Country area. The camp is run as a weekend camp during spring, fall and winter, and as a full-time summer camp during the summer. There are fifteen separate camp sites, and a wide range of activities and programs including the first ever scout Science Center.
Troop and Pack Information
The Lenape District consists of 27 Packs, 23 Troops, 14 Venture Crews, and services over 2,500 boys and girls.
Cub Scout Packs
- Pack 6 - Doylestown United Methodist Church, Doylestown
- Pack 8 - Neshaminy Warwick Church, Hartsville
- Pack 24 - Doyle Elementary School, Doylestown
- Pack 28 - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Southampton
- Pack 34/64 - New Hope Solebury Elementary School, New Hope. Formed by a merger of Pack 34 and 64, out of Solebury and Carversville respectively.
- Pack 35 - Mill Creek Elementary School, Warrington
- Pack 36 - St. James Lutheran Church, Chalfont
- Pack 43 - Sol Feinstone Elementary School, New Hope
- Pack 45 - Forest Grove Presbyterian Church, Forest Grove
- Pack 52 - Our Lady of Mt Carmel RC Church, Doylestown
- Pack 57 - Redeemer Lutheran Church, Warwick
- Pack 71 - Kutz Elementary School, Doylestown
- Pack 96 - McDonald Elementary School, Warminster
- Pack 103 - St. Joseph, Hanover, Pennsylvania
- Pack 133 - Chalfont United Methodist Church, Chalfont
- Pack 136 - Leary Elementary School, Warminster
- Pack 137 - St. Joseph's RC Church, Warrington
- Pack 144 - Our Lady of Good Counsel, Southampton
- Pack 169 - Cold Spring Elementary School, Doylestown
- Pack 170 - Gayman Elementary School, Danboro
- Pack 171 - Jamison Elementary School, Jamison
- Pack 172 - St Paul's United Methodist Church, Warrington
- Pack 173 - Groveland Elementary School
- Pack 207 - Buckingham Elementary School, Buckingham
- Pack 262 - Church of Latter Day Saints, Doylestown
Boy Scout Troops
- Troop 6 - Doylestown United Methodist Church, Doylestown
- Troop 24 - Doylestown Presbyterian Church, Doylestown
- Troop 28† - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Southampton
- Troop 34 - Solebury Friends, Solebury
- Troop 36† - St James Lutheran Church, Chalfont
- Troop 41 - New Britain Baptist Church, New Britain
- Troop 43 - Thompson Memorial Presbyterian Church, New Hope
- Troop 52† - Our Lady of Mt Carmel RC Church, Doylestown
- Troop 59 - Buckingham Elementary School, Buckingham
- Troop 64 - Carversville Christian Church, Carversville
- Troop 71 - Kutz Elementary School, Doylestown
- Troop 103 - St. Joseph, Hanover, Pennsylvania website: http://bsatroop103.org
- Troop 117† - Eupiphany of our Lord, Plymouth
- Troop 133† - Chalfont United Methodist Church, Chalfont
- Troop 135 - Central Bucks YMCA, Doylestown
- Troop 136 - Leary Elementary School, Warminster
- Troop 137 - St Joseph's RC Church, Warrington
- Troop 139 - United Church of Christ, Warminster
- Troop 144† - Our Lady of Good Counsel, Southampton
- troop 161- Holy Guardian ANgels School,Temple
- Troop 172 - St Paul's Methodist Church, Warrington
- Troop 173 - Point Pleasant Firehouse
- Troop 175 - Danboro Reformed Church, Danboro
- Troop 200 - St Andrews United Methodist Church, Warminster
- Troop 262† - Church of Latter Day Saints, Doylestown
- Troop 370
- Troop 380 - Newtown Presbyterian Church, Newtown
Troops with a "†" have Varsity Scout Programs.
Venturing Crews
Crew Number - and Name – Interest
- Crew 6 - Doylestown United Methodist Church – High Adventure
- Crew 41 - New Britain Baptist Church – High Adventure, Outdoors
- Crew 52 - Our Lady of Mt Carmel RC Church, Doylestown – High Adventure, Backpacking
- Crew 64 - Carversville Christian Church – Search and Rescue
- Crew 71 - Bucks County Fish & Game Association – Target
- Crew 175 - Danboro Reformed Church – High Adventure, Canoeing
- Crew 226 - Doylestown Circolo Italiano Club – Italian Culture Studies
- Crew 262 - Doylestown Latter Day Saints – High Adventure
- Lenape District
- Pennsbury District
- Playwicki District
- Tohpendel District
Covering Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Jefferson and Northern Centre Counties of Pennsylvania
Districts
- Elk
- Seneca
- Susquehanna
Chief Cornplanter Council
In 1910, members of the community of Warren, Pennsylvania first explored Scouting activities. In 1913, the Boy Scouts of America gave a charter to an organization known at the time as the Warren County Council. In 1954 the Council's official name was changed to Chief Cornplanter Council to honor the famous Seneca Chief who had his home in this area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Cornplanter, the son of a Dutch trader from Albany, NY named John O'Bail and a Seneca Squaw, was a prominent Seneca Chief during and after the Revolutionary War period. In the French and Indian Wars, he once fought against a British force under Braddock which included a young George Washington. Ironically, Cornplanter would later become a good friend of our Nation's first President as Chief Cornplanter dedicated the last fifty years of his life to preserving peaceful relations with our Nation. The Chief Cornplanter Council is one of the few one-county Council's remaining in the BSA.
The Council's Camp, Camp Olmsted was purchased for the Council by George W. Olmsted. Mr. Olmsted organized the Long Island Lighting Company. Through some 50 purchases and mergers, the company grew rapidly in the next twenty years and eventually furnished electricity and gas to almost all of Long Island east of the New York City line. Mr. Olmsted had a deep love for the organization of the Boy Scouts of America and served as Chairman of the National Camping Committee of the BSA. Camp Olmsted is located on land adjacent to the few remaining acres of the Cornplanter Grant, a parcel of over 600 acres given to Chief Cornplanter in 1791 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Camp Olmsted has been in continuous operation since 1923.
The Chief Cornplanter Council's Order of the Arrow Lodge is Gyantwachia [1]first organized as part of the Warren County Council, Boy Scouts of America in 1944 as the Chief Cornplanter Lodge at Camp Olmsted. "Gyantwachia" means "one who plants corn," the Seneca name of Chief Cornplanter. The Lodge totem is the wolf.
Chester County Council
Main article: Chester County Council
The Chester County Council is a Boy Scouts of America service council that serves members of the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturing programs in Chester County, Pennsylvania and Northeastern Cecil County, Maryland. It is one of the oldest councils in the nation, and is one of two single-county councils left in Pennsylvania, the other being the Bucks County Council (Philadelphia Area Council was a single-county council, covering Philadelphia County, but has since became part of the three-county Cradle of Liberty Council).
Columbia-Montour Council
- Iroquois District
- Susquehannocks District
The Columbia-Montour Council has now combined its two districts into one. It is now split up into 3 service areas. The council is currently running a contest for any scout under the age of 18 to Name The District.
Official website of the Columbia-Montour Council [2]
Cradle of Liberty Council
Main article: Cradle of Liberty Council
The Cradle of Liberty Council is a Boy Scouts of America council created in 1996 with the merger of the former Philadelphia Area Council, covering the city and county of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the former Valley Forge Council, covering both Delaware County, Pennsylvania and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It is the largest council in Pennsylvania and one of the ten largest in the entire Boy Scouts of America.
Five Rivers Council
Five Rivers Council serves Scouts in New York and Pennsylvania.
French Creek Council
French Creek Council serves Scouts in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
- Chief Kiondashawa District
- Colonel Drake District
- Oliver Perry District
- Washington Trail District
Districts
- Beaver Valley District
- Chartiers District
- Conestoga District
- Fort Pitt District
- Greene District
- Japeechen District
- Mingo Trails District
- Mon Valley District
- Montour District
- Seneca District
- Steel City District
- Tecumsa District
Council camps
- Heritage Reservation
- Camp Twin Echo
- Camp Anawanna
- Camp Baker
- Camp Guyasuta
Hawk Mountain Council
Serving Berks, Schuylkill and western Carbon Counties.
- Appalachian District
- Black Rock District
- Cacoosing District
- Indian Run District
- Kittatinny Lodge #5, Order of the Arrow
Hawk Mountain Council, BSA #528
Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation
Kittatinny Lodge #5
Patches of the Hawk Mountain Council
Hudson Valley Council
The Hudson Valley Council is headquartered in Salisbury Mills, New York, and also serves Scouts in Pennsylvania.
Juniata Valley Council
- Oneida District
- Nittany District
- Shawnee District
Keystone Area Council
The Keystone Area Council serves Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, most of Franklin and part of York Counties.
- Adventure District
- Blue Mountain District
- Frontier District
- Kittattinny District
- Union Canal District
Council camp: Hidden Valley Scout Reservation
Mason-Dixon Council
Tuscarora District
- Troop 19
- Troop 88 - Otterbein United Brethern in Christ Church
- Troop 97
Mason-Dixon Council serves Scouts in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Minsi Trails Council
The Minsi Trails Council is a council of the Boy Scouts of America that serves Scouts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Moraine Trails Council
Moraine Trails Council is home to Camp Bucoco (Boy Scouts) and Camp Agawam (Cub Scouts). Moraine State Park is also located within the council boundaries, and was the site for two National Jamborees.
- King Beaver District
- Glacier Ridge District
- River Valley District
Northeastern Pennsylvania Council
- Appalachian District
- Lakes District
- Mountain Laurel District
- Mountain Trailblazer District
Penn's Woods Council
- Chestnut Ridge District
- Chief Logan District
- Forbes Trail District
- Keystone District
Pennsylvania Dutch Council
The Pennsylvania Dutch Council, Pennsylvania is a Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Troop and Pack Information
The Harvest District consists of 5 Packs, 6 Troops, 1 Lodge, and services over boys and girls.
Cub Scout Packs
- Pack 4 - Bethany Presbyterian Church, Lancaster
- Pack 16 - Saint Joseph Church, Lancaster
- Pack 68 - Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown
- Pack 85 - St. Paul's United Methodist Church Elizabethtown
- Pack 125 - Grace Baptist Church, Lancaster
Boy Scout Troops
- Troop 1 - Christ Evangelical Lutheran Chuch, Elizabethtown
- Troop 4 - Bethany Presbyterian Church, Lancaster
- Troop 16 - Saint Joseph Church, Lancaster
- Troop 53 -, Maytown
- Troop 125 - Grace Baptist Church, Lancaster
- Troop 307 - Manheim Rotary Club, Manheim
Lodges
Lodge 39 - Lancaster
Sites that specific units, other organizations, youth members or adult members provide do not represent or serve as agents of the Boy Scouts of America when disseminating information over the Internet.
- Conestoga River District
- Harvest District
- Horse-Shoe Trail District
- Buffalo Trails District
The York-Adams Area Council, Pennsylvania is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America.
- First Capital District - serving York City and the northern sections of York County
- Blue & Grey District - serving the Hanover and Gettysburg areas of South-Central Pennsylvania.
- Troop 103, Hanover PA: http://www.bsatroop103.org
- Indian Steps District - serving the southern sections of York County.
The York-Adams Area Council owns three council camps, which are Camp Tuckahoe, Camp Conewago, and Wizard Ranch.
Westmoreland-Fayette Council
- Braddock Trail District
- Bushy Run District
- Laurel Hills District
- Old Trails District
Girl Scouting in Pennsylvania
There are 13 Girl Scout council offices in Pennsylvania.
GS USA is currently going through a nationwide realignment.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will end up with 3 councils.
Penn Laurel has been accepted as an "early adopter" by the end of this year they will be merged with the following councils: Scranton Poconos, Penn's Woods, Hemlock.
In western Pennsylvania, the following councils will be merged: Penn Lakes, Keystone Tall Trees, Beaver & Lawrence Counties, Talus Rock, Westmoreland, and Trillium.
Seven Lakes will remain as part of New York.
Eastern Pennsylvania will be merged as follows: Great Valley and Southeastern Pennsylvania.
The new council names have yet to be decided.
Girl Scouts of Beaver and Lawrence Counties Beaver, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.girlscouts-wpa.org
Girl Scouts of Freedom Valley Valley Forge, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.gsfvc.org
Girl Scouts - Great Valley Council, inc Allentown, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://girlscouts-greatvalley.org
Hemlock Girl Scout Council, Inc Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.hgsc.org
Keystone Tall Tree Girl Scout Council Kittanning, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.girlscouts-wpa.org
Penn Lakes Girl Scout Council, Inc Edinboro, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.girlscouts-pl.org
Penn Laurel Girl Scout Council, Inc York, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.pennlaurel.org
Penn's Woods Girl Scout Council Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.pennswoodsgirlscouts.org
Girl Scouts, Scranton Pocono Council Scranton, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.spgsc.org
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Inc Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.gssp.org
Girl Scouts of Talus Rock Council, Inc Johnstown, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.talusrockpa.org
Girl Scouts - Trillium Council Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.girlscouts-wpa.org
Girl Scout Council of Westmoreland, Inc. Greensburg, Pennsylvania Web Site: http://www.girlscouts-wpa.org
Scouting museums in Pennsylvania
International Scouting units in Pennsylvania
In addition, there are Homenetmen Armenian Scouts in Philadelphia, and Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetség Hungarian Scouting maintains two troops in Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh.
See also
References
External links
