Scouting in Texas


Scouting in Texas 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. Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, so that they may play constructive roles in society.
Girl Scouts of the USA, organized into eight local councils, serving girls - with a focus on courage, character & confidence.
Scouting America provides Scouting for boys and girls in all programs. Texas is home to the BSA national headquarters, in Irving, Texas. The Boy Scouts of America in Texas are organized into 20 local councils.

History

Scouting in Texas unofficially dates to the publication of British lieutenant general Robert Baden-Powell's popular book, Scouting for Boys, in 1908. Even before a national organization had been started, groups of boys began Scout activities in troops and small groups in 1908, 1909, and 1910. The claims of several troops to be the first organized in Texas, whether before or after the incorporation of the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910, are difficult to verify. BSA archives do show that the thirty-seventh registered scoutmaster in the country was a Texan, Rev. George W. Sheafor, of Comanche, in 1910.
In February 1910, just days after the Boy Scouts of America was organized, Boy Scout Troop 114 was established in Floresville, Texas by Professor W.H. Butler. A reference to the Floresville Boy Scout Troop can be found in the edition of April 2, 1911 of The Galveston Daily News when they published a picture of the Floresville troop. An article in the Victoria, Weekly Advocate refers to the Floresville Boy Scout troop as the second oldest in Texas. A short break in the troop's charter occurred in 1974. They no longer appear to be an active Troop.
Austin, TX Troop 5 was formed in 1911 and has been in continuous operation since that time. In 2011, Austin Troop 5 celebrated its 100th anniversary centennial at Camp Mabry. Troop 5 is believed to be the oldest continuously chartered scout troop in Texas.
In 1913 Troop 7 was established in Grapevine, Texas. The troop has been chartered every year since starting except 1979.
In 1916 Troop 1 was established in Wichita Falls, Texas. Troop 1 in Wichita Falls has been continuously chartered since 1916.
In 1918 Troop 65 was established in Denton, Texas. Troop 65 has been continuously chartered since 1918.
In 1925 Troop 30 was established in Houston, Texas. The troop has been continuously chartered since 1925.
An African American troop was formed in Port Arthur as early as 1916. The BSA report to Congress for 1930 named Dallas as one of the southern cities in which Scouting was growing in the black community. Hispanic boys were also active in Scouting, often in units with non-Hispanic boys. Jewish youth had been active in Scouting in San Antonio for many years before a synagogue sponsored a troop for them in 1924.
By 1918, unofficial Wolf Cub packs appeared in Paris, Texas.
The BSA national office was moved to Irving in 1979.
The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council traces its roots back to the 1920s when Frances Mann Law and Corrinne Fonde organized a Girl Scout Council in Houston. The council office was in a three roomed cottage.
Most Girl Scouts of the USA units were originally segregated by race according to state and local laws and customs. The first troop for Mexican Americans was formed in Houston in 1922. In 1936, the first African American Girl Scout troop west of the Mississippi was formed in Texas.
The Girl Scouts' Camp Texlake was dedicated in 1949.
Early history
In 1912, the Alamo Council formed, changing its name in 1918 to the San Antonio Council. In 1925, the council changed its name to the Alamo Area Council.
In 1912, the Austin Council was founded and changed its name to the Austin-Travis County Council in 1924. It changed its name again in 1928 to the Austin Area Council. In 1934, the council changed its name to the Capitol Area Council.
In 1913, the Houston Council formed, changing its name in 1923 to Harris County Council. It changed to Houston Area Council in 1927, changing again to Sam Houston Area Council in 1936.
In 1913, the Midland Council was founded and closed in 1914.
In 1913, the Rosenberg Council was founded and closed.
In 1915, the Dallas County Council was formed as the Dallas Council. It changed its name to the Circle Ten Council in 1928.
In 1915, the El Paso Council was formed. In 1924 it changed its name to the El Paso County Council. In 1928, it changed its name again to the El Paso Area Council. EPAC changed its name to the Yucca Council in 1937
In 1915, the Waco Council was founded and closed in 1919.
In 1917, the Corpus Christi Council was founded and closed in 1923.
In 1918, the Bay City Council was founded and closed in 1920.
In 1918, the Kingsville Council was founded and closed in 1924.
In 1918, the Paris Council was formed, changing its name to the Lamar County Council in 1925. In 1928, the council renamed itself again to the Lone Star Area Council. In 1955, the council became the NeTseO Trails Council.
In 1919, the Beaumont Council was founded and changed its name to the Beaumont Area Council in 1934. In 1942 the council changed its name to the Trinity-Neches Council. In 1970, Trinity-Neches merged into the Three Rivers Council with the Sabine Area Council.
In 1919, the Port Arthur Council was founded and was merged into Sabine Area Council in 1929.
In 1919, the Galveston Council formed, changing its name in 1925 to Galveston County Council. It changed to Bay Area Council.
In 1919, the Nacogdoches Council was founded and closed in 1920.
In 1919, the Texarkana Council was formed, changing its name to the Texas-Arkansas Council in 1928. In 1936, the council changed its name to the Caddo Area Council.
In 1920, the Brazos Valley Council was founded and closed in 1926.
In 1920, the Fort Worth Council was formed, changing its name to the Tarrant County Council in 1922. In 1927, the council changed its name to the Fort Worth Area Council, and again to the Longhorn Council in 1949.
In 1920, the Laredo Council was formed, merging into the Webb County Council.
In 1920, the Mount Pleasant Council was founded and closed in 1924.
In 1920, the Waxahachie Council was founded and closed in 1927.
In 1920, the Webb County Council formed. In 1924, the Laredo Council formed, merging into Webb County Council in 1922. In 1925, Webb County Council changed its name to the Aztec Council in 1927. In 1933, the Aztec Council merged into Gulf Coast Council.
In 1920, the Wichita Falls Council was formed, changing its name to the Wichita Area Council in 1927. It changed its name again in 1937 to the Northwest Texas Council.
In 1921, the Orange County Council was founded and was merged into Sabine Area Council in 1929. In 1970, Sabine Area merged into the Three Rivers Council with the Trinity-Neches Council.
In 1921, the Amarillo Council was founded and changed its name to Panhandle Area Council in 1924. In 1928, it changed its name to Amarillo Area Council. In 1939, the council changed its name to Llano Estacado Council. In 1986 it merged with Adobe Walls to form the Golden Spread Council.
In 1921, the Brownwood Council was founded and closed in 1924.
In 1921, the Cleburne Council was founded and closed in 1921.
In 1921, the Cooke County Council formed. In 1921, the Denton Council formed, merging with Cooke County to become Mo-Co-Wi-De Council in 1924. In 1927 to council changed its name to the Cooke and Denton Area Council. It merged into the Fort Worth Area Council in 1928.
In 1921, the Terrell Council was founded and closed in 1921.
In 1922, the Abilene Council was founded and changed its name to the Chisholm Trail Council in 1926. The Chisholm Trail Council merged with the Comanche Trail Council in 2003 to form the Texas Trails Council.
In 1922, the Guadalupe Valley Area Council was founded and changed its name to Tonqua Area Council in 1924. The Tonqua Area Council folded in 1932.
In 1922, the Tyler Council was founded and changed its name to Kickapoo Council in 1924. The Kickapoo Council folded in 1926.
In 1922, the Webb County Council was formed. In 1927, the Webb County Council changed its name to the Aztec Council. In 1933, the council merged into the Alamo Area Council.
In 1922, the Wellington Council was founded and closed in 1924.
In 1923, the Buffalo Trail Council was founded.
In 1923, the Collin County Council was formed, splitting between the Lone Star Area Council and the Circle Ten Council in 1927.
In 1924 the Arrowhead formed. In 1928 half of the council merged into the Alamo Area Council.
In 1924, the Arrowhead Council was founded and merged into the Austin Area Council in 1928.
In 1924, the Falls-Milam-Robertson Area Council formed, merging into Harris County Council and McLennan County Council in 1926.
In 1924, the Grayson County Council was founded, changing its name to the T-O Council in 1930. It dissolved in 1936.
In 1924, the McLennan County Council was formed, changing its name to the Heart O' Texas Council in 1929.
In 1924, the Navarro County Council was formed. It merged into the Circle Ten Council in 1927.
In 1924, the Red River Valley Council was formed. It merged into the Circle Ten Council in 1947.
In 1925, the Limestone County Council was formed, changing its name to the Limestone & Freestone Area Council in 1929, and merging into the Davy Crockett Council in 1930.
In 1925, the South Plains Council was formed.
In 1925, the Tr-An-Le-Ho Council was formed, merging into the Davy Crockett Council in 1930.
In 1926, the Concho Valley Council was founded.
In 1926, the Central Plains Council was formed, merging into the South Plains Council in 1929.
In 1926, the Southwest Texas Council was formed, merging into the Concho Valley Council in 1929.
In 1927, the Brownwood Council was founded and changed its name to Pecan Valley Council in 1928. In 1932, Pecan Valley merged into the Comanche Trail Council in 1932.
In 1927, the Eastland County Council was founded and changed its name to Oil Belt Council in 1929. In 1932, Oil Belt merged into the Comanche Trail Council.
In 1927, the Lone Star Area Council was formed. It merged into the Circle Ten Council in 1928.
In 1927, the Lone Star Area Council was founded and merged into the Grayson County Council in 1928.
In 1927, the Rio Grande Council was formed as the Lower Rio Grande Valley Council. It changed its name in 1947 to the current name.
In 1928, the Adobe Walls Council was founded and changed its name to Adobe Walls Area Council in 1934. In 1986 it merged with lano Estacado Council to form the Golden Spread Council.
In 1928, the Pine Tree Area Council was formed, merging into the East Texas Area Council in 1931.
In 1928, the Quanah Parker Council was formed. In 1931 one half of the council merged into the Wichita Falls Council .
In 1928, the Tejas Council was formed, merging into the East Texas Area Council in 1931.
In 1928, the Tex-Okla Council was founded and merged into the Adobe Walls Council in 1931. In 1928, the Southeast Panhandle Council was founded and merged into the Adobe Walls Council in 1931.
In 1929, the Gulf Coast Council formed. In 1924, the Nueces Valley Council formed, merging into Gulf Coast Council in 1929.
In 1929, the Lone Star Council was founded and closed in 1954.
In 1930, the Davy Crockett Council was formed, merging into the East Texas Area Council in 1930.
In 1933, the Sherman Council was formed. It changed its name to the Sherman Area Council in 1941. In 1966, the council changed its name again to the Texoma Valley Council. It merged into the Circle Ten Council in 1947.