Scouting in Maine
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Scouting in Maine dates back to the creation of the Katahdin Area Council in 1920 and has continued prominently to the present day.
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[edit] Early History of Boy Scout Councils in Maine (1910-1960)
Boy Scouting started early in Maine, with two local councils in operation by February 1915. The first second class council was in operation by 1916, and by 1917 three second class councils existed, in Auburn, Bath and Saco. South Portland Council began in 1918, as did Waterville Council, but that council apparently only existed for a year. Bangor, Old Town and Portland Councils were begun in 1919 in those localities, while in that same year Auburn, Bath and Saco's councils all ceased to exist. Old Town's council ceased to exist in 1920, while Oxford County Council was formed, with its headquarters in South Paris, Maine.
In 1921, South Portland Council ceased to exist, while a new one--Biddeford & Saco Council--blossomed once again in Saco. Bangor Council opened Camp Roosevelt, believed to be the first council camp in Maine, the same year. Portland Council changed its name to Cumberland County Council in 1922, no doubt reflecting its expansion beyond the city of Portland (Portland Council had probably absorbed South Portland Council's troops upon its demise the previous year). No organizational changes appear to have occurred in 1923, but big changes would occur the next year.
In 1924, the leaders of Bangor Council took a step similar to that taken by Portland Council in 1922; they changed the council's name to one more reflective of the region served--Penobscot Council--with the change effective at the New Year. Meanwhile, Scouting in the Saco area again took a down turn, with Biddeford & Saco Council ceasing to exist. Oxford County Council also ceased to exist in 1924.
In September 1925 organizers formed a council headquartered in Rockland--Pine Tree Council. Camden was added to this council in 1928, but then Pine Tree Council was absorbed into Cumberland County Council in 1929. The latter council had been growing quite nicely already, as it had added eight towns in Oxford County in May 1929. Also added in 1929 were units in Sagadahoc, Franklin, and Kennebec Counties, as well as those in parts of Knox, Lincoln, and Somerset Counties. Five more towns in Knox County were added in 1930.
Organizers in Saco tried again in 1927, forming York County Council, which also included units in Biddeford and North Berwick. Units in Somersworth, New Hampshire joined York County Council in 1929, but that town moved to New Hampshire's Daniel Webster Council in 1932.
In 1929, Penobscot Council changed its name to Katahdin Area Council, possibly reflecting its growth to encompass all of the northern part of Maine. Although there are references to the council being named "Katahdin Council" on Camp Roosevelt patches, it is generally believed that "Area" has been a part of the council name since its inception.
After two decades of growth and consolidation, by the BSA's twentieth anniversary in early 1930, there were just three councils in Maine--Katahdin Area Council, headquartered in Bangor; Cumberland County Council, headquartered in Portland; and York County Council, headquartered in Saco. The 1930s would see the final changes in council organization: at the end of 1932 Cumberland County Council changed its name to Pine Tree Council; and in 1935 York County Council merged into Pine Tree Council. That merger left Maine with the two councils present there today--Katahdin Area Council in Bangor and Pine Tree Council in Portland.
[edit] Recent History of Boy Scout Councils in Maine (1960-Present)
[edit] Katahdin Area Council
Although Katahdin Area Council claims 1920 as its starting date, Bangor Council actually began operation in 1919. The Council changed its name to Penobscot Council in 1924 and to Katahdin Area Council in 1929. Present day Katahdin Area Council contains 17,981 square miles, making it the largest council in land area east of the Mississippi. With nearly 3000 adults and 6000 youth, Katahdin Area Council has one of the highest adult-youth ratios in the country. The council center is located in Bangor, Maine.
- Hancock District
- North Star District
- Penquis District
- PV District
- Waldo District
- Washington District
[edit] Camp Roosevelt/Katahdin Scout Reservation
Camp Roosevelt or KSR (Katahdin Scout Reservation) is the main Boy Scout camp for the Katahdin Area Council and has been in operation since 1921. The camp is in Eddington, Maine and has over 1800 acres (7.3 km²) of pristine forest at the base of Black Cap Mountain that surround the 300 acre (1.2 km²) Little Fitts pond. The camp has 16 camp sites and can handle about 400 campers at one time. One of the hallmarks of the camp is the Log Cabin style Dining lodge built in 1929. It remains as one of the largest free standing log cabins in the country. In 2001, the camp added a COPE porgram, (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) which provides both high and low element activities and challenges for scouts over 14 years old. In August 2006 the new Dining lodge was completed. It is one and a half times the size of the old lodge and can seat 425 people. It also has an indoor climbing wall.
Camp Roosevelt provides classes in around 33 different merit badges each year to Scouts attending camp.
Camp Directors Howard M. Kesseli (March 31, 1931–September 15, 2005) Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Howard served in the Army before becoming a Boy Scout executive. Between 1972 and 1989 he served as Camp Director of Camp Roosevelt. Although he retired from professional scouting in 1994, he continued to volunteer and in June of 2000 he was awarded the Silver Beaver award. He is also credited with helping start the Matagamon wilderness base on Grand Lake Mattagamon which is the base camp for wilderness trips in northern Maine including canoe trips down the Allagash River. He died in 2005 after a long battle with prostate cancer.
Michael S. Cuskelly served as Camp Director from 1990-1994.
Timothy Archer served as Camp Director from 1995-1998.
Arthur Washburn served as Camp Director for the summer of 1999.
Doug Hitchings served as Camp Director from 2000-2004.
Jamie Coburn served as Camp Director from 2005-2006 .
Brian Shepard is the current Camp Director.
Cub Scout Resident Camp started at Camp Roosevelt in 1985 as an approved National pilot program. From 1985 through 1999 Cub Resident Camp had separate Camp Directors then Boy Scout Resident Camp. The position has been combined since the season of 2000.
The following people were Cub Resident Camp Directors. 1985 Elbie Cleveland 1986 & 1987 Kenneth Liberty 1988 Gregory Morin 1989 Michael Cuskelly 1990 -1994 Gregory Morin 1995 –1999 James Bell
[edit] Matagamon High Adventure Base
The Matagamon High adventure Base, Formerly Maine National High Adventure Area, serves as a second camp for the council although it does not host any normal summer programs. Instead its hosts several treks throughout the summer that involve week long activities such as canoeing and hiking. Pamola Lodge also uses the camp for various activities such as its Fall fellowship weekend, summer OA trek and various meetings throughout the year. It is located on Grand Lake Matagamon next to Baxter State Park in relative isolation.
[edit] Pamola Lodge
Pamola Lodge 211 is the Order of the Arrow lodge for Katahdin Area Council, serving northern and eastern Maine, and is part of the Northeast Region, Section NE-1A. Pamola Lodge has the biggest area of any lodge east of the Mississippi and is the most northern lodge in the continental United States. The Lodge was first chartered in 1941, although much of its early history is shrouded in mystery. In 1951 the lodge disbanded only to be rechartered again in 1955. Lodge activity continued to grow in the late 1950s and 1960s with the Lodge's first Vigil ceremony being held in 1961.
[edit] Lodge Chiefs
1961 Frank Young 1963 James Georgitis 1964 Martin Sheehan 1965 Martin Sheehan 1966 John Alan Howard 1967 Timothy Archer 1968 Edwin Marden Jr. 1969 James Husson 1970 Tom Drew 1971 Steven Husson 1972 Patrick Constantine 1973 Patrick Constantine 1974 Jeffery Ellis 1975 Michael Cuskelly 1976 Scott Beal 1977 Richard Violette Jr. 1978 Terry Lawrence 1979 Terry Lawrence 1980 Chris Jamieson 1981 Scott Story 1982 Alan Stearns 1983 Dale Rhoda 1984 Dale Rhoda 1985 Brian Rainhard 1986 Michael Clark 1987 Larry Bradford 1988 Larry Bradford 1989 Jason Guy 1990 Jason Guy 1991 Douglas McLean 1992 Matthew Carr 1993 Peter Brown 1994 Peter Brown 1995 Heath Hudson 1996 Andrew Adams 1997 Steve Grindle 1998 Kenneth J. Hills 1999 Kenneth J. Hills 2000 Edwin Goodwin 2001 Brandon C. Watson 2002 Ivan M. Brown 2003 Jason Tillotson 2004 Shane Sickles/Thomas Bouchard 2005 Alexander Willette 2006 Brock Collins 2007 Mike Mower (Lodge Chief list comes from Pamola Lodge Annual Dinner program booklet 11/4/2006)
[edit] The Lodge Flap
The Totem of the Lodge is the Running Deer, which is shown on the flap. The Lodge is named after the legendary Penobscot Indian Spirit of Mount Katahdin, Pamola. Pamola Lodge is one of the few lodges to have retained its original flap for its entire history. This is scheduled to change as youth members in the Lodge voted to change the flap at the 2005 Fall induction weekend held at the Matagamon High Adventure Base in northern Maine. A new flap is scheduled to be chosen at the 2006 Spring Induction.
[edit] Pine Tree Council
This section's main page
The present-day Pine Tree Council can trace its beginnings to 1919, when organizers formed Portland Council in that city. South Portland Council had been formed a year earlier but that council folded in 1921 (its units were probably absorbed by Portland Council). In 1922 Portland Council bacame Cumberland County Council, no doubt reflecting its growth outside of the city of Portland. Between 1922 and 1932 Cumberland County Council continued to grow, adding units in Oxford, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Knox Lincoln,and Somerset counties. The original Pine Tree Council, formed in Rockland in 1925, merged into Cumberland County Council in 1929, and in 1933 Cumberland County Council became the Pine Tree Council we know today. York County Council merged into Pine Tree Council in 1935.
- Abnaki District
- Casco Bay District
- Downeast District
- Kennebec Valley District
- York District
[edit] Camp Bomazeen
Camp Bomazeen, located on Great Pond in North Belgrade, Maine, was opened in 1945.
[edit] Camp Gustin
Located on Loon Pond, Sabattus, Maine, this council property is now used primarily for Abnaki District events. Camporees have been held at Camp Gustin since at least 1947.
[edit] Camp William Hinds
Camp William Hinds opened in 1927 as the summer camp for Cumberland County Council. The camp was named for the son of the businessman who donated the property to the council. The camp is located on Panther Pond in Raymond, Maine and is the main summer camp for Pine Tree Council.
[edit] Camp Nutter
Camp William Nutter, located on Loon Pond in Acton, Maine, was originally the summer camp for York County Council. When that council merged into Pine Tree Council in 1935, it was initially not used as a summer camp; however, sometime after 1944 the council opened it as a summer camp. It operated as such into the 1950s. The earliest dated patch is 1949. The council still owns the property, but it is only used by the York District for weekend events & Cub Scout Day Camp.
[edit] Madockawanda Lodge 271
[edit] Girl Scouting in Maine
There are two Girl Scout council offices in Maine.
Abnaki Girl Scout Council
Brewer, Maine
Web Site: http://www.abnakigsc.org
Girl Scouts of Kennebec Council
South Portland, Maine
Web Site: http://www.gskc.org
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- KSR
- Pamola Lodge
- Katahdin Area Council
- Pine Tree Council
- - Troop 58, Cumberland & North Yarmouth
- Matagamon High Adventure Base
- Downeast Antiques Fair, Katahdin Area Council fundraiser
- Capital Campaign for Camp Roosevelt
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