Scouting in Massachusetts
Scouting in Massachusetts includes both Girl Scout and Boy Scout organizations. Both were founded in the 1910s in Massachusetts. With a vigorous history, both organizations actively serve thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Early history (1910-1950)
Recent history (1950-2001)
Moby Dick Council
Moby Dick Council #245 was a Council of the Boy Scouts of America from 1972 to 2001.
Formation
The Moby Dick Council (also known as Moby Dick Council of Massachusetts and Rhode Island) was formed in 1972 by a merger of the Cachalot Council of Greater New Bedford and the Massasoit Council of Greater Fall River. The two former councils were small, and fell victim to the BSA's desire to create larger councils. In 2001, Moby Dick Council suffered a similar fate, and merged with the Narragansett Council of Rhode Island, much to the chagrin of many old-timers of both the smaller councils and the larger Moby Dick Council.
Camps
Moby Dick Council originally had two camps: Camp Cachalot was the camp for Cachalot Council, and Camp Noquochoke was the camp for Massasoit Council. Camp Noquochoke was sold due to its smaller size and fewer prospects, and later became a residential neighborhood. Camp Cachalot still remains as a weekend and summer resident camp owned and operated by the Narragansett Council.
Order of the Arrow
Moby Dick's OA Lodge was Neemat Lodge #124, which was formed by a combination of Agawam Lodge #509 and Noquochoke Lodge #124 in 1972. Neemat Lodge and Wincheck Lodge #524 merged in 2001 to form Abnaki Lodge.
Scouting in Massachusetts today
- Girl Scouts of the United States of America has six regional councils in Massachusetts.
- Boy Scouts of America has ten regional councils in Massachusetts.
Full details for the regional councils are below.
Boy Scout Councils in Massachusetts
Annawon Council
The Annawon Council is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America headquartered in Norton, Massachusetts. It is one of the few small councils remaining in the area. Camp Norse is the sole camp of the council. The council is divided into the following districts:
- Angle Tree District
- Sachem District
Order of the Arrow – Tulpe Lodge
Boston Minuteman Council
The Boston Minuteman Council serves the greater Boston area. It has four camps: Camp Sayre, in the Blue Hills, Camp Massasoit in Plymouth, T.L. Storer Scout Reservation in Barnstead, NH, and Parker Mountain Scout Camp, in Strafford, NH. The council is divided into the following districts:
- Flintlock District
- Sons of Liberty District
- Great Blue Hill District
Formation
1993 - The Boston Minuteman Council #227 was formed from the merger of:
*Minuteman Council #240 (Stoneham, 1959-1993)
*Greater Boston Council #227 (Boston, 1980-1993)
*The Cambridge Council #229 (Cambridge, 1919-2001) and their Kahagon Order of the Arrow Lodge #131 were merged into the Boston Minuteman Council in 2001.
1959 - The Minuteman Council (Stoneham, 1959-1993) was formed from a merger of:
*Sachem Council #223 (Lexington, 1926-1959)
*Fellsland Council #242 (Winchester, 1932-1959)
*Quannopowitt Council #240 (Malden, 1993-1959)
Order of the Arrow – Moswetuset Lodge
Moswetuset Lodge is named for the hill in Quincy. The current Chief is Chris Gardner.
Cape Cod and the Islands Council
The Cape Cod and the Islands Council serves Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Greenough Scout Reservation is its camp. The council is divided into the following districts:
- Lower Cape District
- Martha's Vineyard District
- Nantucket District
- Upper Cape District
Order of the Arrow – Abake Mi-Sa-Na-Ki Lodge
Great Trails Council
The Great Trails Council serves Berkshire County, Massachusetts; Hampshire County, Massachusetts and Franklin County, Massachusetts in the western part of the state. Chesterfield Scout Reservation is its camp. The council is divided into the following districts:
- Appalachian Trail District
- Metacomet District
Great Trails Council and Pioneer Valley Council are in the process of merging to form the Western Massachusetts Council.
Order of the Arrow – Memsochet Lodge
Knox Trail Council
Knox Trail Council is the result of the consolidation of the Norumbega and Algonquin Councils in 1996. It serves the Greater MetroWest area of Eastern Massachusetts. It has two camping properties: The E. Paul Robsham Scout Reservation - in Bolton (Camp Resolute), and the Nobscot Scout Reservation - in Framingham/Sudbury. The council is divided into the following districts:
- Liberty District (Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Maynard, Natick, Sherborn, Stow, Sudbury, Wayland)
- Tri-River District (Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Milford, Marlborough, Mendon, Northborough, Southborough, Westborough)
- Viking District (Newton, Wellesley, Weston)
Order of the Arrow – Chippanyonk Lodge
Mohegan Council
Mohegan Council serves Central Massachusetts. Treasure Valley is its summer camp. The council is divided into the following districts:
- Quinsigamond District
- Hassanamisco District
- Massasoit District
Order of the Arrow – Pachachaug Lodge
Narragansett Council
Narragansett Council is based in Rhode Island, but has 2 districts that serve communities in Massachusetts:
- Cachalot District
- Massasoit District
Massasoit District
The Massasoit District is a subdivision of the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
History
The Fall River Council rechartered as the Massasoit Council. It was headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts and served that city and the surrounding communities of Somerset, Swansea, Westport, Tiverton and Little Compton. The Wampanoag District served Somerset and Swansea, Massachusetts. The Council Office was located in the Women's Union Building on Rock Street. The Massasoit Council existed until 1972.
The primary source for Boy Scout uniforms and gear was McWhirr's department store on South Main St in Fall River. Many Council-wide Scouting events were often held at Lincoln Park in Westport, Massachusetts (see Lincoln Park (Massachusetts)). The Firestone Rubber Company, which had a large factory in Fall River, sponsored the Firestone Award for outstanding Boy Scouts in the Massasoit Council in the 1950s and 1960s. These recognition events were held at White's in Westport, Massachusetts.
Camping for the Fall River Council began in 1917 at Camp Stanford in Fall River and provided an outlet for boys for four years. It was decided in 1921 at a Fall River Council Executive Board meeting that the purchase of a 100-acre (0.4 km2) wooded area would take place, naming it Camp Noquochoke.
Additional land was purchased in Camp Noquochoke’s later years covering over 110 acres (0.4 km2) on the eastern shore of the Westport River in Westport, MA.
Camp site facilities ranged from undeveloped, to tent sites with platforms, to A-frames ("Adirondacks") to cabins with stoves and bunk beds. The physical facilities were significantly improved in the late 1950s with a new dining hall (constructed by the Navy Seabees) and an in-ground pool. Camp legend, the basis for many campfire stories, was a character named "Three-fingered Willie". Camp Noquochoke continued to serve area youth until 1980.
Smaller councils began to be consolidated, which led to Massasoit Council merging with the Cachalot Council (see Cachalot District) to form the Moby Dick Council. In this new council, the two former councils became districts. Moby Dick Council maintained the Cachalot Council's office in New Bedford. Massasoit's Camp Noquochoke was sold, and Cachalot's Camp Cachalot remained with the new council.
Massasoit Council's Noquochoke Lodge 124 of the Order of the Arrow merged with Cachalot Council's Agawam Lodge 509 to form Neemat Lodge 124.
In 2001, another merger was announced. Moby Dick Council, which by contemporary standards at its inception was of decent size, had become archaic. It was considered in their best interest to dissolve and merge with another council, and they did so, merging with Rhode Island's Narragansett Council. The new council, which kept the Narragansett name, kept the Massasoit and Cachalot district designations, and also continues to operate Camp Cachalot.
- Quequatuck District
- Shawomet District
- Skeleton Valley District
- Thundermist District
Nashua Valley Council
Nashua Valley Council [1] serves north-central Massachusetts.
Old Colony Council
Old Colony Council [2] based at Canton, Massachusetts serves southeastern Massachusetts.
Pioneer Valley Council
Pioneer Valley Council includes all of Hampden County, which is commonly referred to as Pioneer Valley. The council operates a Scout office and service center in Chicopee Massachusetts and a year round camping facility in Russell-Moses Scout Reservation. The council has 3 districts:
- Knox Trail District
- Post Road District
- Springfield/Chicopee District
Pioneer Valley Council and Great Trails Council are in the process of merging to form the Western Massachusetts Council.
Order of the Arrow – Allogagan Lodge 83
Yankee Clipper Council
Yankee Clipper Council [3] was formed from a merger of the North Essex Council, North Bay Council, and Lone Tree Council in 1993.
George W. Magee Memorial Trust Fund
The George W. Magee Memorial Trust Fund is a Massachusetts-based trust whose proceeds are used to support the purchase and improvement of the camps operated by Boy Scout Councils in Massachusetts.
History
George W. P. Magee was a theatrical agent and manager who most notably managed Boston's Grand Opera House from the 1890s through 1916. Being very involved in the community, he saw Scouting as a program making significant positive impact on the lives of young men. He turned this belief into a permanent commitment to Scouting, by establishing a trust upon his death. His will reads, in part:
"They shall pay the amounts, during their respective lives, to the individuals mentioned above, and they shall distribute the balance of the net income of the said Trust Fund to such of the councils of the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA as are located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and as, in the opinion of said Trustees, are performing the most efficient service, the said net income to be used, so far as possible, for the purchase and maintenance of summer camps or training camps in New England for the use of Boy Scouts. These payments shall be made by said Trustees after consultation with the officials of the Boy Scouts of America.
It is my desire that the said Councils to whom this Fund is distributed, shall, during the week of August sixth, which date is my birthday have such competitive games, drills and/or exhibitions as may, in the opinion of said Councils, be for the greatest benefit of the said boys and will also tend to permanently impress upon them the nature of the Fund, and, for such purpose, they may award such cups, badges or other recognition of merit as to them may seem proper.
In disbursing the said income, the Trustees have the right to erect in any Boy Scout camp or training field conducted under the auspices of Councils of the Boy Scouts located in Massachusetts, a lodge or general meeting place with a proper inscription showing that the said structure is erected and dedicated by this Fund."
George Magee died in 1939, with France Cornell and Frederick W. Cook becoming the original Trustees of the fund. It took nearly 5 years, until 1944, for the fund to reach the minimum level for income to be distributed ($500,000). In 1944, the fund distributed $11,000. Upon the death of Mr. Cornell in 1961, the Old Colony Trust Company became the sole corporate trustee of the fund.
Today
As of 2004, the fund had a market value of approximately $7.3 million, with an annual distribution of $210,000. Over its lifetime, the fund has contributed over $6.2 million to hundreds of projects, impacting over a million youth, at various Boy Scout camps. Funds are held by the Private Bank at Bank of America, the current successor of the Old Colony Trust Company, and they are advised by a committee composed of local Scouting professionals and volunteers. Many Massachusetts camps conduct a "Magee Night" competition or other similar event to celebrate Mr. Magee's contribution, and it is quite easy to find buildings named after Mr. Magee or with plaques bearing his name.
Councils requesting money typically make proposals to the advisory committee, stating the purpose of the project, the amount being requested, and any moneys being provided through other sources. Only Councils located in Massachusetts are eligible, although as the will reads the camps that benefit may be located elsewhere in New England.
Girl Scout Councils in Massachusetts
There are six Girl Scout council offices in Massachusetts.
- Girl Scouts of Montachusett Council, Inc. Worcester, Massachusetts http://www.mgsc.org
- Girl Scouts, Patriots' Trail Council, Incorporated Boston, Massachusetts http://www.ptgirlscouts.org/
- Information on Girl Scout Houses in Eastern Massachusetts: Scout Houses
- Girl Scouts of Pioneer Valley East Longmeadow, Massachusetts http://gspv.org
- Girl Scout Council of Southeastern Massachusetts, Incorporated Middleboro, Massachusetts http://www.gscsm.org
- Girl Scouts of Spar and Spindle Council, Inc. North Andover, Massachusetts http://www.ssgsc.org
- Girl Scouts of Western Massachusetts, Incorporated Leeds, Massachusetts http://www.gswma.org
Currently, Girl Scouts of the USA is overseeing mergers across the nation to create high-capacity Girl Scout Councils. In the state of Massachusetts, the six Girl Scout Councils will condense into two Councils. Montachusett, Pioneer Valley and Western Massachusetts will all combine to become one Council serving the western part of the state (name to be determined still) while Patriots' Trail, Southeastern Mass, and Spar & Spindle will be merging to become Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts. These mergers have already begun with estimated completion dates of Fall 2007.
Girl Scout Camps
Camp Muriel Flagg is a locale in Williamstown, Massachusetts named for Muriel Flagg, a Girl Scout leader and teacher. Originally a Girl Scout camp, it opened in June 1964 and probably ceased operations in the late 1970s or early 1980s. It is located at an elevation of 1,004 feet (306.0 m) and is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Williamstown in Berkshire County Latitude 42°44′28″N 073°11′08″W / 42.74111°N 73.18556°W
Camp Favorite is a locale in Brewster, Massachusetts. Available activities include sailing and accommodations are usually platform tents.
Scouting museums
See also
External links and references
- Isaac Davis Historic Trail Camporee.
- Scouts NewEngland - covers everthing Scouting related for all six New England states.
- Last Will and Testament of George W. P. Magee, June 25, 1938
- George W. Magee Memorial Trust Fund (2004). 60 Years of Scouting Support: The George W. Magee Memorial Trust Fund, 2004.
- Shingebis Lodge 490
- Old Colony Council
- Troop 3 North Dighton, Massachusetts
- Narragansett Council Cachalot District
- Narragansett Council Massasoit District
- Camp Noquochoke information
- Camp Noquochoke property satellite image
- South Coast Today Letters from Camp
- Memories of a Westport, Massachusetts Scoutmaster
- Massachusetts Girl Scouts Records, 1915-1967. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.