Scouting in Washington has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Contents
- Early history 19101950
- Recent history 1950present
- Scouting in Washington today
- Blue Mountain Council
- Districts
- Council Camping Properties
- Order of the Arrow Lodge
- Cascade Pacific Council
- Chief Seattle Council
- Camps
- Grand Columbia Council
- Inland Northwest Council
- Council Camps
- Mount Baker Council
- Pacific Harbors Council
- Girl Scouting in Washington
- Girl Scouts of Western Washington
- Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho
- Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington
- References
Early history (1910–1950)
Camp Black Mountain, located on the beautiful shores of Silver Lake an hour drive east of Bellingham, is the oldest existing camp in Washington State. Interviews with Hugh Eldridge Carr and General Floyd Hansen, Bellingham Eagle Scouts from the early 1920s, indicate the camp was active prior to 1919. The land was used by permission of owner H. P. Jukes (the council treasurer) prior to transferring ownership to the BSA in 1927. It was originally used by the Bellingham Council as Camp H. P. Jukes and has been in continuous use since that time with the exception of two seasons during WWII (1943 and 1944). Upon first use the camp was used for troop and district events, but became a fully organized resort in 1925. During the 1920s, the camp was supported by the Order of the Blue Knot, an honor camper's society that later became Quilshan Lodge, Order of the Arrow. Programs from the 1925 and 1926 seasons provide insight into early camp activities and vintage photographs of this cherished property.
In 1910, a Spokane, Washington Boy Scout leader, the Reverend David Ferry, created a troop under the name of Girl Guides of America. The Girl Guides did not expand much beyond the local area. In 1911, the Girl Scouts of America (Des Moines, Iowa and to be confused with the current Girl Scouts of the USA) and the Girl Guides planned to merge with the Camp Fire Girls to form the Girl Pioneers of America, but relationships fractured and the merger failed.
Founded in 1919, Camp Parsons is the oldest continuous running Boy Scout camp west of the Mississippi River and one of the oldest continually running Boy Scout camp in the United States on its original location. It sits on Jackson Cove, part of the Hood Canal, on the Olympic Peninsula, just north of Brinnon, Washington, and just south of Quilcene, Washington. The original land for the camp was donated by Reginald Parsons in 1918. Thousands of Boy Scouts come to Camp Parsons every summer.
Recent history (1950–present)
Camp Sheppard is a camp outside of Enumclaw, Washington. Sheppard does not run a resident Scout camping program, but does run several other Scout programs including a Winter Camp program for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Since 2011, Sheppard has been the location for the Council's National Youth Leadership Training, usually holding two or more sessions every year in the summer.
Until 2009, Camp Sheppard was a High Adventure base, where it offered programs in mountaineering, mountain biking, and backpacking.
Until 2014, it hosted the "Mom & Me/Dad & Me" Cub Scout camping programs, after which they were moved to Camp Edward.
Scouting in Washington today
There are seven Boy Scouts of America local councils in Washington.
Blue Mountain Council
With headquarters in Kennewick WA the Blue Mountain Council serves Scouts in Washington and Oregon.
The U.S. Scouting Service Project has created a link to all known websites (districts, troops, packs, Venturing Crews, O.A. Lodge & Chapter, etc. websites) located within the Blue Mountain Council which can be found at Scout Site Search.
Districts
Council Camping Properties
The Council does not operate a summer camp.
The U.S. Scouting Service Project also maintains the ScoutCamp.org website which provides general information and a place for leader comments on the two camps operated by the Blue Mountain Council at Martin Scout Camp and Camp Wallowa
Order of the Arrow Lodge
Cascade Pacific Council
Cascade Pacific Council serves Scouts in Oregon and Washington.
Chief Seattle Council
The Chief Seattle Council serves the main parts of Puget Sound and Seattle areas including the Olympic Peninsula.
Camps
The council operates four camps:
Order of the Arrow Lodge
Grand Columbia Council
Located in central Washington and based in Yakima, the Grand Columbia Council serves the Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Okanogan, Yakima and portions of Adams, Benton, Ferry and Klickitat Counties. The Grand Columbia Council maintains two service centers in Yakima and Wenatchee.
The U.S. Scouting Service Project has created a link to all known websites (districts, troops, packs, Venturing Crews, O.A. Lodge & Chapter, etc. websites) located within the Grand Columbia Council which can be found at Scout Site Search.
Camps
The council operates four camps:
Districts
Order of the Arrow Lodge
Inland Northwest Council
With headquarters in Spokane the Inland Northwest Council serves Scouts in Washington and Idaho.
The U.S. Scouting Service Project has created a link to all known websites (districts, troops, packs, Venturing Crews, O.A. Lodge & Chapter, etc. websites) located within the Inland Northwest Council which can be found at Scout Site Search.
Order of the Arrow Lodge
Districts
The Inland Northwest Council provides the communities and volunteers with three council service centers. Each council service center has a Scout Shop and staff to answer questions, provide training and resources, and is able to take registrations for summer camp or events. Besides the headquarters office in Spokane there are service centers in Hayden Lake, ID and Clarkston, WA.
In 2009, the council sponsored a statue in Spokane. Titled Footsteps To The Future, it honors community mentors.
Council Camps
The U.S. Scouting Service Project also maintaines the ScoutCamp.org website which provides general information and a place for leader comments on all of the camps operated by the Inland Northwest Council: North Idaho High Adventure Base, Camp Grizzly, Camp Easton, Camp Cowles Scout Reservation.
Mount Baker Council
The Mount Baker Council of the BSA serves Boy Scouts in the Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan counties of Washington State. The council operates one Scout camp Fire Mountain.
The U.S. Scouting Service Project has created a link to all known websites (districts, troops, packs, Venturing Crews, O.A. Lodge & Chapter, etc. websites) located within the Mt. Baker Council which can be found at Scout Site Search.
Order of the Arrow Lodge
The council's Order of the Arrow Lodge is No. 338 Sikhs Mox Lamonti which was created in 1995 through the merger of Kelcema Lodge No. 305 and Quilshan #325. Sikhs Mox Lamonti translates to "Friends of two mountains", which is a reference to the Mount Baker Council's camps Black Mountain and Fire Mountain.
Districts
The Council is made of the following districts [1]:
Council Camps
The U.S. Scouting Service Project also maintains the ScoutCamp.org website which provides general information and a place for leader comments on all of the camps operated by the Mt. Baker Council: Fire Mountain Scout Reservation.
Pacific Harbors Council
The Pacific Harbors Council of serves the scouts in the Pierce, King, Mason, Thurston, Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties of Washington State. The council operates one Scout camp: Camp Thunderbird.
The U.S. Scouting Service Project has created a link to all known websites (districts, troops, packs, Venturing Crews, O.A. Lodge & Chapter, etc. websites) located within the Pacific Herbors Council which can be found at Scout Site Search.
Order of the Arrow Lodge
Districts
Council Camps
The U.S. Scouting Service Project also maintains the ScoutCamp.org website which provides general information and a place for leader comments on all of the camps operated by the Pacific Harbors Council: Camp Thunderbird.
Girl Scouting in Washington
There are three Girl Scout councils serving Washington.
Girl Scouts of Western Washington
This council was formed by the merger of Pacific Peaks and Totem Councils on October 1, 2007. Administrative offices are located in Seattle, Washington. The new council serves over 26,000 girls.
Mission: To build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
Website: http://www.GirlScoutsWW.org
Regional Offices:
Information about each Regional Office may be found at http://www.GirlScoutsWW.org/aboutus/locations.
Camps:
Information about all Girl Scout Camps in Western Washington can be found at http://www.GirlScoutsWW.org/aboutus/camp_properties.
Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho
This is a new council formed May 1, 2007 by the merger of Inland Empire and Mid-Columbia councils. It serves more than 8,000 girls in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and 3 counties in northern Oregon.
Headquarters: Spokane, Washington
Website: http://www.gsewni.org/
Service Centers:
Camps:
Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington
This council was established on October 1, 2008 and serves girls in Clark and Skamania Counties. See Scouting in Oregon for more information.
Headquarters: Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.girlscoutsosw.org