Scouting in Iowa

Scouting in Iowa 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.

Early history (1910–1960)

thumb|Ned's 1912 Tenderfoot CertificateScouting began in Jewell, Iowa, due to the generosity of Mrs. Carrie A. Strong. Mrs. Strong had resided in Jewell and moved to California, but due to her interest in the town even after relocation, she gave the town of Jewell its first step in Scouting. In 1916, Mrs. Strong came back to Jewell for her annual visit went before the city fathers to tell them that she would provide the fund to buy and build a Scout House on, and give $1000 to construct a building suitable for the Scout program.

A parcel of land was bought from H. K. and Christian Gronbeck on October 14, 1916, for the sum of $840.00. The building was let to Peterson Builders for the Scout House 240 by 48 feet and 12 foot high. The completed cost for the building was $935.00. The First Scoutmaster was Reverend Norstad and his assistants were professors from the then . F. H. Ferbitz became Scoutmaster in October 1923 with 28 Scouts under his leadership. A fife and drum corps was also started at that time and the grounds were cleaned and the building painted. A basketball league was formed which consisted of four teams. After the basketball games, the boys would have what they referred to as, "a feed." These feeds were paid for by the continued contributions of Mrs. Strong up to the time of her death on November 27, 1923.

In 1918, the Keokuk Council was founded, folding in 1919. In 1920, the Fort Madison Council (#180) was founded, and closed in 1928.-->

Councils

There are eight BSA local councils serving Iowa.

Hawkeye Area Council

The Hawkeye Area Council serves Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Jones, Johnson, Linn, and Washington counties within Eastern Iowa. It Currently has two districts, Northern Lights and Southern Prairie.

History

In 1916, the Cedar Rapids Council was founded, folding in 1919.

Southern Prairie District

Camps

Howard H. Cherry Scout Reservation
Camp Wakonda

Order of the Arrow

Cho-Gun-Mun-A-Nock Lodge

Illowa Council

Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, the Illowa Council serves Scouts in western Illinois and eastern Iowa in the Quad Cities area with one camp, Loud Thunder Scout Reservation. Konepaka Ketiwa Lodge #38 (part of Section C-3A) is the Order of the Arrow lodge that serves this council.

In 1937, the Mesquakie Area Council (#174) was founded, merging into the Buffalo Bill Area Council (#176) in 1958. In 1915, the Davenport Council (#176) was founded, changing its name to Buffalo Bill Area Council (#176) in 1928. It merged into the Illowa Council (#133) in 1967.

In 1914 the Ames Council (#169) was formed, changing its name to the Story County Council (#169) in 1923. The council changed its name again in 1930 to the Tall Corn Area Council (#169). In 1924 the Boone County Council (#170) was formed, merging into the Story County Council (#169) in 1926.

Sioux Council

The Sioux Council serves Scouts in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.

Winnebago Council

The Winnebago Council (#173) is a council of the Boy Scouts of America. The Winnebago Council serves Scouts BSA, Cub Scouts, adult volunteers and Venturers in 17 counties located in North Central Iowa. Including: Black Hawk, Grundy, Butler, Franklin, Wright, Hancock, Winnebago, Worth, Cerro Gordo, Mitchell, Floyd, Bremer, Chickasaw, Howard, Winneshiek, Fayette, and Buchanan.

In 1918, the Jesup Council was founded, folding that same year.

Girl Scouting in Iowa

There are two Girl Scout councils in Iowa, realigned from nine former councils.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois

As part of a national realignment the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois formed in April 2007 by combining four former councils. It serves some 20,000 girls.

;Council headquarters: Rock Island, Illinois

;Service centers: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Dubuque, Iowa, Waterloo, Iowa, and West Burlington, Iowa.

;History

The former councils are:

Conestoga Council of Girl Scouts Waterloo, Iowa
Girl Scouts of Little Cloud Council, Inc. Dubuque, Iowa
Girl Scouts of Mississippi Valley Rock Island, Illinois and Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Girl Scouts of Shining Trail Council, Inc. West Burlington, Iowa

;Camps

The council has three camps:

Camp Liberty (formerly Camp Conestoga) is in New Liberty, Iowa. It was established in 1947.
Camp Little Cloud is in Epworth, Iowa.
Camp L-Kee-Ta established in 1945 is in Danville, Iowa
Camp Tahigwa was in Dorchester in Allamakee County, Iowa and had . Tahigwa was established in 1967. This camp was sold in 2017.

Currently, Camp Liberty is the designated resident camp program for girls throughout eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Camp Little Cloud and Camp L-Kee-Ta are used by troops and groups for events and both day and overnight outdoor adventures.

Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa

Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa covers 74 counties including 71 in central and western Iowa, one county in Nebraska, and one and one-half counties in South Dakota. As part of the national realignment, Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa was created in October 2007 from the merger of five councils.

;Headquarters: Des Moines, Iowa

;Service centers: Des Moines, Iowa, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Mason City, Iowa, and Sioux City, Iowa.

;History

The five former councils are:

Girl Scouts of Lakota Council Fort Dodge, Iowa
Moingona Girl Scout Council Des Moines, Iowa
Nishnabotna Girl Scout Council of Southwest Iowa, Inc. Council Bluffs, Iowa
Girl Scout Council of North Iowa Mason City, Iowa
Sioux Trails Girl Scout Council Sioux City, Iowa

;Camps

The council operates five residence camps.

Camp Sacajawea is over in Boone, Iowa.
Camp Tanglefoot is in Clear Lake, Iowa.
Camp Joy Hollow is in Westfield, Iowa.

;Former camps

:* Camp Lakota

In the 1970s the Caravan Trails Girl Scout Council owned Camp Strother in Eldon, Iowa.

References

External links

Hawkeye Area Council
Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois GSEIWI