Scouting in New York
Scouting in New York 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. The first National Boy Scouts of America Headquarters was in New York City, and the Girl Scouts of the USA National Headquarters is currently located at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
Early history (1910-1950)
On September 10, 1910, S. F. Lester of Troy, New York, became the first person to hold the Scouting leadership position of Scoutmaster. He received his certification from the BSA headquarters in New York City. In 1910 he led a group of 30 scouts at Camp Ilium, in Pownal, Vermont. Camp Ilium was the starting point of the Boy Scout Movement for Troy, and Pownal. Pownal is only away from Troy.Following the lead of the State of Michigan, the State of New York formed its own Forest Scouts. This group was formed in response to a number of late 19th century and early 20th century forest fires and were effectively "auxiliary fire wardens".
The 1924 National Order of the Arrow Lodge Meeting was held at Kanohwanke Scout Camp near Tuxedo, New York and the 1929 National Lodge Meeting was held at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Boy Scouts of America National Headquarters were established in 1910 in New York City and opened in January 1911.
Recent history (1950-present)
In the 1970s and again in the 1990s, upstate New York went through a huge consolidation of small, historic councils.Scouting today
Boy Scouts
There are fourteen Boy Scouts of America local councils in New York.Allegheny Highlands Council
The Allegheny Highlands Council serves Scouts in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties in New York and McKean and Potter counties in Pennsylvania. Its Service Center is located in Falconer, New York.History
In 1917, the Dunkirk Council was formed, closing in 1918.In 1917, the Olean Council was formed, closing in 1918.
In 1917, the Salamanca Council was formed, closing in 1919.
In 1917, the Jamestown Council was formed, changing its name to the Chautauqua County Council in 1925. It changed its name again to the Chautauqua Lake Area Council in 1932.
In 1932, Chautauqua Lake Area Council was created, and in 1929 the Lake Shore Council was created. Both councils merged in 1941 to become the Chautauqua County Council.
In 1926, the Cattaraugus Council was formed, changing its name to the Seneca Council in 1929.
In 1973, the Allegheny Highlands Council was formed from a merger of the Seneca Council, Chautauqua County Council, and the Elk Lick Council.
Organization
The council is divided into two districts:- Western Gate District
- Two Lakes District
Camps
Elk Lick is tucked into the heart of the Allegheny Mountains in Smethport, Pennsylvania, and operates exclusively as a Cub Scout summer camp.
Camp Merz is located on Lake Chautauqua, just up the road from the Chautauqua Institution in western New York, and is a Scouts BSA summer camp. Camp Merz has a waterfront and many waterfront-related merit badges available for scouts. Both camps are opens to all scouts for year-round camping.
Order of the Arrow
- Ho-Nan-Ne-Ho-Ont Lodge 165
Baden-Powell Council
History
In 1917, the Cortland Council was founded, closing in 1918. In 1921, the Norwich Council was formed, merging into the Binghamton Council in 1924.In 1918 the Binghamton Council was formed, changing its name to the Susquenango Council in 1920.
In 1918 the Johnson City and Endicott Council was formed, changing its name to the Fairplay Council in 1932.
In 1917 the Ithaca Council was formed, changing its name to the Thompkins County Council in 1926. Thompkins County changed its name to the Louis Agassiz Fuertes Council in 1929.
In 1925 the Fairplay Council was formed, merging into the Susquenango Council in 1932. In 1998, the Susquenango Council merged with the Baden-Powell Council. The combined councils took the name Baden-Powell and the number.
In 1929 the Louis Agassiz Fuertes Council was formed. In 1940 the Tioughnioga Council was formed. In 1975, the two council merged to become the Baden-Powell Council.
In 1998, the Baden-Powell Council and the Susquenango Council merged to become Baden-Powell Council.
Organization
As of 2017, the council has four districts:- Chenango District
- Delahanna District
- Hiawatha District
- Taughannock District
Camps
Camp Barton, founded in 1927, is a Scouts BSA of America camp located on on Frontenac Point on the west shore of Cayuga Lake in New York State's Finger Lakes. It is approximately nine miles north of Ithaca.
Camp Barton has nine summer camping sites with 2- and 4-man platform tents, as well as a winter lean-to site in one of the two gorges which surround the camp. The camp facilities include many water-based activities on the camp's quarter-mile of waterfront, including rowing, motorboating, sailing, waterskiing, jetskiing and swimming, as well as handicraft, nature, rifle and archery ranges, and scoutcraft areas.
The Camp's buildings and cabins are available for off-season use by Scouting and other youth organizations.
Tuscarora Scout Reservation is a Boy Scouts of America camp located on 1200 acres around Summit Lake in New York State's Southern Tier.
The camp has ten summer camping sites with 2-man platform tents. It has five winter units with a center lodge equipped with wood stoves, refrigerators and electricity and four 8-man lean-tos. Tuscarora Scout Reservation also offers a renovated Nature lodge, dining hall, a nationally known Handicraft program, and a, progressively more difficult climbing wall with free rappel. They also offer mountainboarding, paddleboard, shotgun and rifle range as well as multiple Wilderness Programs and Scoutcraft programs. The camp is available year-round for camping, hiking as well as shotgun and rifle programs. Tuscarora Scout Reservation hosts over 500 Scouts and leaders each January and February for its Winter Camp programs. Tuscarora hosts the Council's annual National Youth Leadership Training Course every August.
Order of the Arrow
The corresponding Order of the Arrow lodge is Otahnagon Lodge 172.Connecticut Rivers Council
The Connecticut Rivers Council serves the majority of the State of Connecticut in addition to Fisher's Island in New York.The corresponding Order of the Arrow Lodge is Tschitani Lodge #10.
Five Rivers Council
Five Rivers Council serves Scouts in the Southern tier of New York and the Northern tier of Pennsylvania.History
In 1917, the Hornell Council was founded, closing in 1918. In 1918, the Corning Council was founded, closing in 1919.In 1915, the Elmira Council was founded, changing its name to the Chemung County Council in 1926. In 1927 the council changed its name Elmira Area Council , and again in 1947 to Sullivan Trail Council. In 1922, the Steuben County Council was founded, changing its name to the Steuben Area Council in 1931.
In 1991 Steuben Area Council and Sullivan Trail Council merged to become the Five Rivers Council. In 1992, General Sullivan Council merged into the Five Rivers Council.
Organization
The council is divided into three districts:- Endless Mountains District
- Big Horn District
- Silver Fawn District
Camps
;Camp Gorton
Camp Gorton, located on Waneta Lake in the middle of the Finger Lakes, provides over 350 acres of land in Upstate New York for Scouts BSA camps. In 2014 Camp Gorton celebrated its 92nd year of existence and 90th anniversary of being a scout camp on the east side of Waneta Lake.
Camp Gorton provides a program that is well-suited for younger scouts and is known for having an excellent waterfront and shooting sports programs. At the waterfront they offer facilities for fulfilling the Water Sports merit badge requirements as well as those for the Motorboating merit badge for no additional fee. Their Shooting Sports ranges have 16 slots for fulfilling the Rifle merit badge requirements and has plenty of cover for Scouts, Leaders, and Parents to come and observe.
;Camp Brulé
Camp Brulé, named after Étienne Brûlé, is in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the General Sullivan Council with headquarters in Athens and jurisdiction over Bradford, Tioga and Sullivan Counties.
The camp covers the forty-two acres of Elk Lake and of forest land bordering it. Pancost Hall and Crandall Hall are memorials to Alfred H. Pancost, Chief Scout Executive and founder, and to Harry H. Crandall, first president of the council.
On the parade ground a native boulder bears a bronze plaque in memory of Eagle Scout twin brothers from Troop 2, Towanda, Pennsylvania, Army Air Corp Lieutenants John R. and William G. Winter. Born August 11, 1925, they were killed in action in World War II on August 11, 1945. The plaque was erected by employees of the Patterson Screen Company.
Order of the Arrow
TKäen DōD Lodge 30 formed from three former lodges. Seneca Lodge 394, Wakanda Lodge 186, and Winingus Lodge 30. TKäen DōD celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2017.Greater Hudson Valley Council
The Greater Hudson Valley Council was formed in 2021 when the Hudson Valley Council merged with the Westchester-Putnam Council. This council serves scouts in southeastern New York.Daniel Carter Beard is buried at the Brick Church Cemetery, which lies within the council boundaries. Every year on February 8, in commemoration of Founders Day, local Scouts place a wreath on Beard's grave. A commemoration service is held there every year on his birthday.