Scouting in Oklahoma


Scouting in Oklahoma 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 (1909–1950)

The first Boy Scout troop in America is claimed to have been organized in Pawhuska, in May 1909 by John F. Mitchell. Pawhuska is in the Cherokee Area Council.
In 1917, the Guthrie Council was formed. It closed in 1918.
In 1921, the Miami Council was formed. It closed that same year.
The Hobart Council was founded in 1922. It closed in 1925.
The Durant Council was founded in 1921 and changed its name in 1923 to the Kiamichi Area Council.
In 1930, the Kiamichi Area Council dissolved with parts going to T-O Council, Lamar County Council, Red River Area Council and the Pontotoc County Council.
In 1918, the Ardmore Council was founded. It merged into the Red River Area Council in 1925.
In 1922, the Garvin and McClain Area Council was founded. It merged into the Red River Area Council in 1925.
In 1925, the Red River Area Council was founded. It changed its name to the Chickasaw Council in 1930.
In 1930, the Chickasaw Council was founded. It merged into the Arbuckle Area Council in 1946.
In 1920, the Pontotoc County Council was founded. It merged into the Arbuckle Area Council in 1946.
In 1917, the Bartlesville Council was founded. It changed its name to the Cherokee Area Council in 1925.
In 1922, the Pawhuska Council was founded. It changed its name to the Osage County Council in 1923.
In 1923, the Osage County Council was founded. It changed its name to the Osage and Pawnee Counties Area Council in 1925. In 1926, the council changes its name to the Pawhuska Council, which merged with the Cherokee Area Council in 1928.
In 1927, the Northeastern Oklahoma Council was founded. It merged with the Cherokee Area Council in 1929.
The Cherokee Area Council was founded in 1925.
The Stillwater Council was founded in 1916. It merged into Cimarron Valley Council in 1922.
The Creek County Council was founded in 1922. It merged into Cimarron Valley Council in 1922.
The Cimarron Valley Area Council was founded in 1922. It merged in to the Will Rogers Council in 1948.
The Ponca City Council was founded in 1921, changing its name to the Noble-Kay Counties Council in 1926. Noble-Kay Counties changed its name to the Northern Oklahoma Council in 1929. Northern Oklahoma changed its name to the Ponca Area Council in 1931. Ponca Area changed its name to the Northern Oklahoma Council in 1936. The Northern Oklahoma Council merged into the Will Rogers Council in 1948.
The Will Rogers Council was founded in 1948. It merged in to the Cimarron Council in 2000.
The Northwest Oklahoma Council was founded in 1927. It merged in to the Great Salt Plains Council in 1928.
The Great Salt Plains Council was founded in 1927. It merged in to the Cimarron Council in 2000.
The Enid Council was founded in 1921. It changed its name to the Garfield County Council in 1923.
The Shawnee Council was founded in 1919. It changed its name to the Pottawatomie Rogers Council in 1922. It changed its name to the Canadian Valley Council in 1927.
The Jackson County Council was founded in 1920. It changed its name to the Navajo Mountain Area Council in 1925.
The Chickasha Council was founded in 1918. It changed its name to the Grady County Area Council in 1926. The Grady County Council merged into the Black Beaver Council in 1930.
The Stephens County Council was founded in 1921. It changed its name to the Jefferson-Stephens Area Council in 1924. Jefferson-Stephens Area changed its name in 1930 to the Je-Ste-Co Council. Je-Ste-Co merged into Black Beaver Council in 1932.
The Comanche County Council was founded in 1922. It changed its name to the Black Beaver Area Council in 1925. The Black Beaver Area Council merged into the Navajo Mountain Area Council in 1927.
In 1925, the Navajo Mountain Area Council was founded. It merged into the Black Beaver Council in 1930.
In 1917, the Oklahoma City Council was founded.
In 1920, the Norman Council was founded. It merged into the Oklahoma City Council in 1927.
In 1928, the Oklahoma City Council merged into the Oklahoma County Council.
In 1927, the Ca-Bla-Ki Council was founded. It merged into the Oklahoma County Council in 1928.
In 1927, the Washita Valley Council was founded. It merged into the Oklahoma County Council in 1933.
In 1927, the Canadian Valley Council was founded. It merged into the Last Frontier Council in 1947.
In 1930, the Oklahoma County Council changed its name to Central Oklahoma Council. It merged into the Last Frontier Council in 1939.
In 1939, the Last Frontier Council was founded.
In 1911, the Tulsa Council was founded. It changed its name to the Tulsa County Council in 1922 after adding the remainder of Tulsa County. It changed its name to the Tulsa Area Council in 1936 after adding Rogers and Mayes Counties. It changed its name to the Indian Nations Council in 1957 after merging with the Creek Nations Council.
In 1920, the Pittsburg County Council was founded. It changed its name to the McAlester Council in 1921.
In 1920, the Sapulpa Council was founded. It changed its name to the Creek County Council in 1925.
In 1920, the Drumright Council was founded. It merged into the Creek County Council in 1922.
In 1927, the Creek County Council was founded. It merged into Creek Nation Area Council in 1928.
The Creek Nation Council was founded in 1928. It merged with the Indian Nations Council in 1957.
In 1922, the South Creek County Council was founded. It changed its name to the Bristow Council in 1923. It merged into the Okmulgee Council in 1927.
In 1919, the Okmulgee Council was founded. It changed its name to the Okmulgee County Council in 1927.
In 1921, the McAlester Council was founded. It changed its name to the Choctaw Area Council in 1926.
In 1917, the Muskogee Council was founded. It changed its name to the Muskogee Area Council in 1927. It changed its name to the Eastern Oklahoma Area Council in 1949.
The Choctaw Area Council was founded in 1926. It merged with the Indian Nations Council in 1971.
In 1928, the Tex-Okla Council was founded and merged into the Adobe Walls Council in 1931.

Recent history (1950–present)

The Eastern Oklahoma Area Council was founded in 1949. It merged with the Indian Nations Council in 1983.
The Indian Nations Council was founded in 1957.
The Cimarron Council was founded in 2000 from the merger of the Will Rogers Council and the Great Salt Plains Council.
The Black Beaver Council, founded in 1930, merged into the Last Frontier Council in 1996.
The Cimarron Council, founded in 2000, merged into the Last Frontier Council in operationally on February 1st, 2025, and legally and formally on May 1st, 2025.

Scouting in Oklahoma today

Boy Scouts of America

There are six Boy Scouts of America local councils based in, or providing services within, the state of Oklahoma. All councils in Oklahoma are part of Council Service Territory 8.

Arbuckle Area Council #468

The Boy Scouts of America Arbuckle Area Council maintains offices in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and serves youth and their families in Pontotoc, Murray, Johnston, Garvin, Coal, Atoka, Carter, Love and Marshall counties in southern Oklahoma and the city of Ringling. The Arbuckle Area Council provides a web presence for its membership and other interested persons.
Districts
  • Chickasaw District covers Carter, Love, Marshall, Johnston counties and the city of Ringling
  • Harry Miller District covers Pontotoc, Atoka, and Coal counties.
  • Washita District covers Murray and Garvin counties.
    Camps
Camp Simpson, southern Oklahoma's "slice of heaven." Home to Summer Camp and Winter Camp activities. Also available for year-round reservations. Motel room rentals, proms, weddings, family reunions, youth camps, church retreats, school outings.
Order of the Arrow
  • Wisawanik Lodge #190

    Cherokee Area Council #469

The Boy Scouts of America Cherokee Area Council maintains an office in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and serves youth and their families in northeastern Oklahoma. The Council provides a web presence for its membership and other interested persons. Communities served by the council include Pawhuska, Bartlesville, Nowata, Vinita, Grove, Miami, and many others in six northeastern counties of Oklahoma.
Districts
  • Grand Lake District
  • Osage Hills District
    Camps
  • Camp McClintock - Outside of Bartlesville, Oklahoma
    Order of the Arrow
  • Washita Lodge #288

    Circle Ten Council #571

The Circle Ten Council serves youth in North Central Texas and the Southeast Oklahoma counties of Bryan, McCurtain, Choctaw, and the southern three quarters of Pushmataha. Bryan County falls under the Texoma Valley District of the Council.

Golden Spread Council #562

The Golden Spread Council serves Scouts in Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle counties of Cimarron, Texas, and western half of Beaver. The Oklahoma counties fall in the Lone Wolf District.

Indian Nations Council #488

The Indian Nations Council maintains offices in Tulsa and serves most of eastern Oklahoma. The Indian Nations Council provides a web presence for its membership and other interested persons.
The Council Scout Executive is Art Hawkins, who has held the position since 1 November 2021.
Districts
  • Redbud District
  • Scissortail District
  • Will Rogers District
    Camp Properties
  • Mabee Scout Reservation, Locust Grove
  • Jack Graves Scout Reservation, Broken Arrow
  • Hale Scout Reservation, Talihina
  • Zink Scout Ranch, Sand Springs
  • Cherokee Nation Scout Ranch, Welling
    Order of the Arrow
The Ta Tsu Hwa Lodge was formed in 1938 under the name of "Yaqui". In 1957 Yaqui Lodge merged with the Checote Lodge due to the merger of the Tulsa Area Council and the Creek Nation Council, creating the Indian Nations Council. The new lodge was named the "Daw Zu" Lodge. In 1959 the lodge was renamed "Ta Tsu Hwa," meaning "Red Bird". Between 1959 and the present day, the Lodge absorbed the "Oskihoma" Lodge and the "Ni-U-Kon-Ska" Lodge as the Indian Nations Council absorbed the Choctaw Area Council and the Eastern Oklahoma Council.
The distinctive "Red Bird" lodge flap of the Ta Tsu Hwa Lodge is shaped differently than the standard pocket flap.