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Scouting in North Carolina 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 (1910-1950)
The Boy Scout program began in England under the leadership of Robert Baden-Powell. Baden-Powell gained fame in Britain through his leadership of British troops during the siege of Mafeking during the Boer War in South Africa in 1899–1900. Following this event a military training manual he wrote called "Aids to Scouting" gained popularity amongst boys in Britain. In the early 1900s Baden-Powell began developing the concepts of scouting and he put his theories to the test during the summer of 1907. He took a group of 22 boys to Brownsea Island where he conducted the first Boy Scout camp. He divided the boys into four groups and established the "patrol method". In 1908 Baden-Powell published "Scouting for Boys", the first Boy Scout handbook.
Scouting came to the United States a short time later. There were already boy organizations in the US under the leadership of Daniel Carter Beard (Sons of Daniel Boone), Ernest Thompson Seton (Woodcraft Indians) and the YMCA. Chicago publisher William D. Boyce learned about Scouting during a visit to London in 1909. A young boy assisted Mr. Boyce to his destination and declined a tip offered to him saying that he was a Scout. Boyce was impressed by the young man and visited the London headquarters of the Boy Scouts. He studied the British model and felt that boys in the US could benefit from this program. On February 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was incorporated. A National Office was established in New York City and James E. West was hired to lead the new organization.
Boy Scout troops were formed in North Carolina as early as 1910. Troops were formed at schools and churches in Greensboro, Raleigh, Burlington, Durham, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and other communities. Adult volunteers in each area worked with boys in teaching outdoor skills, first aid, athletics, swimming, citizenship and leadership. These troops registered with the BSA and as communities established multiple Boy Scout troops the volunteers began seeking professional leadership. Boy Scout Councils were chartered through the BSA as "Scout Executives" were hired.
Initially, Scouting groups in the major cities formed councils. There was the Greensboro Area Council (1918), Winston-Salem Council (1919), Raleigh Council, and Durham Council. Over the next few years as Scouting spread throughout the counties the small councils consolidated and changed their names. By 1950 North Carolina was served by thirteen Boy Scout councils:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Council Name !! Headquarters !! Date Formed
|-
| Cape Fear Council || Wilmington || 1930
|-
| Central NC Council || Albemarle || 1937
|-
| Cherokee Council || Reidsville || 1923
|-
| Daniel Boone Council || Asheville || 1925
|-
| East Carolina Council || Kinston || 1932
|-
| General Greene Council || Greensboro || 1947
|-
| Mecklenburg County Council || Charlotte || 1942
|-
| Occoneechee Council || Raleigh || 1929
|-
| Old Hickory Council || Winston-Salem || 1942
|-
| Piedmont Council || Gastonia || 1924
|-
| Tidewater Council || Virginia Beach, VA || 1935
|-
| Tuscarora Council || Goldsboro || 1923
|-
| Uwharrie Council || High Point || 1923
|}
Camping was an emphasis for the councils from their formation. Each council purchased or leased land for establishing Boy Scout camps. During the summer each camp was open for several weeks with a trained staff of older boys and adults to teach the Scouts various Scouting skills. In the mid-1930s most councils began holding annual "camporees." These events were held over a weekend with Scouts camping by troop with their patrols competing and demonstrating various Scouting skills.
The Uwharrie, General Greene, and Cherokee councils would all later merge to form the Old North State Council,
Order of the Arrow
The council is served by the Order of the Arrow through Klahican Lodge 331.
Central North Carolina Council
The Central North Carolina Council (#416) was founded in 1937. The council covers the south-central portion of North Carolina. The Council offices are located in Albemarle.
History
1917 saw the founding of the Concord Council, which folded the next year. The Charlotte Council (#416) was founded in 1915, changing its name to the Central North Carolina Council (#416) in 1937.
Daniel Boone Council
Founded in 1925, the Daniel Boone Council (#414) covers the western North Carolina. The council offices are located in Asheville.
History
The Asheville Council (#418) was founded in 1919, changing its name to the Buncombe County Council (#414) in 1922. Old North State Council's Order of the Arrow counterpart is Tsoiotsi Tsogalii Lodge (#70). Camp facilities include Cherokee Scout Reservation, located in Yanceyville which is home to the annual summer camp, Woodfield Scout Camp, located in Trinity, North Carolina, which allows weekend camping, Hemric Scout Reservation, located on an island on Kerr Lake and is only accessible by boat, and Hagan Sea Base, located on High Rock Lake, and runs Sea Scouts programs.
Piedmont Council
The Piedmont Council (#420) was founded in 1924.
Order of the Arrow
The council is served by the Order of the Arrow through Eswau Huppeday Lodge 560.
Tidewater Council
The Tidewater Council serves southeastern Virginia and north-eastern North Carolina. This region is often referred to as South Hampton Roads or the Tidewater or Tidewater Virginia area; hence the name of the council. Its Order of the Arrow counterpart is the Blue Heron Lodge, which was founded in 1946 when a team from Octoraro Lodge in Pennsylvania inducted the first members of Blue Heron Lodge. The North Carolina counties of Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Perquimans, and Pasquotank make up the Albemarle District. Camping facilities are located at Pipsico Scout Reservation in Surry County, Virginia.
Tuscarora Council
The Tuscarora Council (#424) was founded in 1923 and serves four counties in the east-central portion of North Carolina.
History
The Tuscarora Council (#424) was founded in 1923 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. It is believed that the first Girl Scout troop in North Carolina was started in 1914, though it is not clear where it was located. Another early North Carolinian troop was started in 1918 in Southern Pines, and its main purpose seemed to be aiding the war effort during World War I.
Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast
This council serves nearly 8,000 girls in southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina, and has more than 4,000 adult volunteers. In North Carolina, it serves the counties of Hertford, Gates, Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank, Chowan, Bertie, Washington, Tyrrell, Manteo, Perquimans, Hyde, and Dare.
This council's five camps are located in Virginia.
Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines
Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines was formed by the merger of Girl Scout Council of Coastal Carolina and Pines of Carolina Girl Scout Council on October 1, 2007. It serves over 32,000 girls and has nearly 10,000 adult volunteers in the counties of Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Chatham, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Martin, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pender, Person, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wayne, and Wilson.
It operates service centers in Raleigh, NC, Fayetteville, NC, Goldsboro, NC, and Wilmington, NC.
Camps
- Camp Graham is on Kerr Lake
- Camp Hardee is on the Pamlico River near Washington, NC
- Camp Mary Atkinson is in Johnston County, NC
- Camp Mu-Sha-Ni is in Richmond County, NC
Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont
Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont officially began on October 1, 2009. It was created from the merger of four councils in western North Carolina: Catawba Valley Area Girl Scout Council, Tarheel Triad Girl Scout Council, Pioneer Girl Scout Council, and Girl Scouts of Western North Carolina, Pisgah Council. The council operates service centers in Asheville, NC, Colfax, NC, Gastonia, NC and Hickory, NC. It serves the counties of Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Caswell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Guilford, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Randolph, Rockingham, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.
Camps
- Keyauwee Program Center is and is located in Randolph County in Sophia, North Carolina. It was established in 1945.
- Camp Pisgah is and is located in Transylvania County in Brevard, NC. It was established in 1953.
- Camp Ginger Cascades is and is located in Caldwell County near Lenoir, NC. It was established in 1963.
Girl Scouts, Hornets' Nest Council
The Girl Scouts, Hornets' Nest Council is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was chartered in 1935. It serves 19,000 girls in the counties of Anson, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Rowan, Stanly, Union and York, South Carolina.
- Dale Earnhardt Environmental Leadership Campus at Oak Springs is 700 acres and is located 45 minutes north of Charlotte, North Carolina. It was named after the Dale Earnhardt Foundation because of its contributions to the property.
- POD Village is located just behind the GSHNC Service Center in Charlotte, North Carolina and consists of 5 "pods", or octagonal buildings.
See also
- Mounted Boy Scout Troop 290
References
External links
- ScoutsFocus