Scouting in Wisconsin


Wisconsin's history with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts spans from 1910 to the present day. Both programs have independently served thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

Early history (1910–1950)

In 1920, the Appleton Council, and the Neenah-Menasha Council were both formed. They merged to become the Valley Council in 1922. In 1924 Valley Council changed its name to the Fox River Valley Council, changing it back to Valley in 1925. In 1920, the Fond Du Lac Council was founded, changing its name to the Badger Council in 1926. In 1919, the Manitowoc Council was formed, changing its name to the Manitowoc County Council in 1929, changing its name to the Waumegasako Council in 1940. The Waumegasako Council merged into the Bay-Lakes Council in 1973. In 1920, the Green Bay Council was founded, closing in 1922. In 1930, the Green Bay Area Council was founded again, changing its name to the Nicollet Area Council in 1934. In 1919, the Oshkosh Council was founded, changing its name to the Twin Lakes Council in 1935. In 1919, the Sheboygan County Council was founded, changing its name to the Kettle Moraine Council in 1935.
The Oconomowoc Council was formed in 1917. It disbanded in 1921. The Janesville Council was formed in 1917. It disbanded in 1917. The Sturgeon Bay Council was formed in 1918. It disbanded in 1919. The Ashland Council was formed in 1918. It disbanded in 1920.
Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation is a Boy Scouts of America property and High Adventure base located in Northern Wisconsin and serves the Scouts of the Northeast Illinois Council based in Highland Park, Illinois. Originally a logging camp, the Scouts purchased the land and first had campers in 1929. The camp is in size.

Recent history (1950–present)

The Bay-Lakes Council was formed in 1973 by a merger of the following councils: Badger, Waumegesako, Nicolet Area, Valley, Twin Lakes, and Kettle Moraine. The Hiawathaland Council joined in 2012.

Scouting America (was Boy Scouts of America) in Wisconsin today

There are seven Scouting America local councils headquartered in Wisconsin. Additionally, some adjacent councils in Illinois and Minnesota serve portions of Wisconsin. Besides these councils, some out of state councils maintain camp facilities in Wisconsin.

Bay-Lakes Council

The Bay-Lakes Council is headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin. Bay-Lakes Council #635 was formed on July 1, 1973, and is geographically one of the larger Scouting America councils in the United States.
Bay-Lakes Council was formed in 1973 by a merger of the following councils: Badger, Waumegesako, Nicolet Area, Valley, Twin Lakes, and Kettle Moraine. The Hiawathaland Council, in Michigan's UP, joined in 2012 and was transferred as a district to Michigan Crossroads Council in 2025.

Blackhawk Area Council

Blackhawk Area Council is headquartered in Rockford, Illinois and serves southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois.

Chippewa Valley Council

The Chippewa Valley Council is headquartered in Eau Claire.

History

In 1922, the Watertown Council was formed, disbanding in 1925. In 1927, the Chippewa Falls Council was formed, disbanding in 1928. In 1927, the Eau Claire Council was formed, changing its name to the Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties Council, changing its name to the Ojibwa Council in 1925. Ojibwa became the Chippewa Valley Council in 1928.

Organization

  • Blue Hills
  • Clear Water
  • Timber Rivers

    Camps

  • L.E. Phillips Scout Reservation

    Order of the Arrow

  • Otyokwa Lodge #337

    Gateway Area Council

The Gateway Area Council, headquartered in La Crosse, serves Scouts in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

History

In 1921, the La Crosse Council was formed, changing its name to the Gateway Area Council in 1925.

Organization

  • Seven Rivers- Houston County, School District of La Crosse, Onalaska, Prairie du Chien, Stoddard
  • The Great Soaring Eagle- Buffalo & Trempealeau Counties, School District of Holmen
  • Winding Trails- Jackson, Monroe, Juneau, Vernon, Crawford Counties, School District of West Salem, Bangor

    Camps

  • Camp Decorah, located approximately southeast of Galesville, Wisconsin on the Black River, is of wooded sand hills that overlook the Black River. The camp is easily accessible with its main entrance on Council Bay Road, seven miles north of Holmen, WI, and four miles southeast of Galesville, WI.
  • Hoffman Park provides rustic adventures near Black River Falls, WI.

    Order of the Arrow

  • Ni-Sanak-Tani Lodge #381

    Glacier's Edge Council

The Glacier's Edge Council provides Scouting services to communities in the counties of Adams, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Richland, Sauk, Rock, Walworth in Wisconsin as well as Winnebago and Boone counties in Illinois. It is composed of representatives of more than 250 community organizations holding charters to operate a program of the Boy Scouts of America. The council meets annually in May to elect officers and board members. It was organized in 2005 growing from a consolidation of the Four Lakes and Sinnissippi Councils and granted a charter by the Boy Scouts of America.

History

The Janesville Council was formed in 1917. It disbanded in 1917. In 1919, the Madison Council was formed, changing its name to the Four Lakes Council in 1929. In 2005, Four Lakes changed its name to Glacier's Edge Council. In 1920, the Beloit Council was formed, changing its name to the Beloit Area Council in 1928. In 1925, the McHenry County Council was formed, merging into the Beloit Area Council in 1928. In 1920, the Beloit Area Council changed its name to the State Line Council in 1936. In 1928, the Indian Trails Council was formed. State Line and Indian Trails merged to become the Sinnissippi Council in 1966. Sinnissippi "consolidated" with Four Lakes Council of Madison to become Glacier's Edge Council in 2005.

Organization

Districts:
  • Indian Trails
  • Mohawk
  • Wisconsin River
  • Yahara

    Camps

Camps:
  • Ed Bryant Scout Reservation on the Castle Rock Flowage near Mauston
  • Camp Indian Trails on the Rock River near Janesville

    Order of the Arrow

  • Bigfoot Lodge

    Northern Star Council

Indianhead Council merged with Viking Council in 2005 to create Northern Star Council. The Indianhead Council was headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and including Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota, and much of western Wisconsin. Its name came from the shape of the Wisconsin-Minnesota border, which is said to resemble that of the head of an Indian. As well as the office building in Saint Paul, facilities included Tomahawk Scout Reservation near Rice Lake, Wisconsin, Phillippo Scout Reservation near Cannon Falls, Minnesota, Fred C. Andersen Scout Camp near Hudson, Wisconsin, and Kiwanis Scout Camp near Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota.

Potawatomi Area Council

The Potawatomi Area Council is headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The Potawatomi Area Council serves all of Waukesha County and portions of Dodge, Jefferson, Walworth and Washington Counties. The Wag-O-Shag Lodge is the Order of the Arrow lodge. Potawatomi Area Council has one summer camp named Camp Long Lake.
The Potawatomi Area Council was formed in 1931.

Samoset Council

Samoset Council is headquartered in Weston, and serves the north central part of Wisconsin and was founded in 1920. It gets its name from an early Boy Scout camp in the town of Harrison, named Camp Sam-O-Set which closed in 1934, a year before the construction of Camp Tesomas.
In 1919, the Oneida County Council was formed, changing its name to the Rhinelander Council in 1922. In 1928, Rhinelander merged into Marathon and Lincoln Counties Council in 1928. In 1921, the Merrill Council was formed, merging into the Marathon and Lincoln Counties Council in 1926. In 1921, the Wausau Council was formed, merging into the Marathon and Lincoln Counties Council in 1926.
In 1917 the Wisconsin Rapids Council was formed, changing its name to Wood County in 1925. In 1921, the Stevens Point Council was formed, merging into the Wood County Council in 1927. The Wood County Council merged into the Central Wisconsin Council in 1929. Central Wisconsin merged into Samoset Council in 1937. In 1921, the Marinette Council was formed, merging into the Marathon and Lincoln Counties Council in 1930. In 1930, Marathon and Lincoln Counties changed its name to Samoset.

Three Harbors Council

In 1915, the Milwaukee Council was formed, changing its name to the Milwaukee County Council in 1929. In 1917, the Racine Council was formed, changing its name to the Racine County Council in 1927. In 1917, the Kenosha Council was formed, changing its name to the Kenosha County Council in 1929. In 1961, the council changed its name to Kenosha Council. In 1972, Kenosha Council and Racine County Council merged to become the Southeast Wisconsin Council.
In September 2011, Southeast Wisconsin Council and Milwaukee County Council merged to form Three Harbors Council.

Organization

Districts:
  • Aurora
  • Southern Shores
  • Red Arrow

    Order of the Arrow

The Kanwa tho Lodge #636 is the Order of the Arrow lodge for Three Harbors Council. It was founded on January 6, 2013, through the consolidation of Mascoutens Lodge #8 and Mikano Lodge #231. The name and totem were chosen by the youth of the new lodge on the morning of July 8, 2012. Kanwa tho Lodge's totem is a panther, and "Kanwa tho" translates to "panther band".

Voyageurs Area Council

The Ashland Council was formed in 1918. It disbanded in 1920. Headquartered in Hermantown, Minnesota, Voyageurs Area Council serves Scouts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Its Order of the Arrow Lodge is Ka'niss Ma'ingan Lodge #196.

Girl Scouts of the USA

There are three Girl Scout councils serving Washington.
There are four councils of the Girl Scouts of the USA headquartered in Wisconsin. Additionally, two adjacent councils in Minnesota serve portions of Wisconsin.