Scouting in Missouri

BSA Councils serving Missouri

Scouting in Missouri has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day.

Early history (1910-1950)

According to William D. Murray, a charter member of the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) when it incorporated on February 8, 1910, the first "Troop" to form in Missouri was formed by an Englishman in Sedalia, MO sometime in 1908 or 1909. In his 1937 book "The History of the Boy Scouts of America," he goes on to say that this man had even gone so far as to appoint field representatives in other states as well.

The 1938 National Order of the Arrow Lodge Meeting was held at Irondale, Missouri.

Boy Scouts of America in Missouri today

There are six BSA local councils in Missouri.

Great Rivers Council

Great Rivers Council (653) is based in Columbia, Missouri and serves Scouts in 33 counties in Mid-Missouri. In 1971 Great Rivers Council merged with Lake of the Ozarks Council (314).

Districts

• Black Diamond is located in Randolph, Schuyler, Sullivan, Putnam, Adair, Scotland, Knox, Linn, Macon, and Western Shelby, counties.
• Boonslick is located in Boone, Cooper and Howard counties
• Five Rivers is located in Cole, Osage, Gasconade and Maries counties.
• Grand Prairie is located in Callaway, Audrain and Montgomery counties.
• Kinderhook is located in Morgan, Moniteau and Camden counties.
• Mark Twain is located in Pike, Ralls, Lewis, Monroe, Marion and Eastern Shelby counties.
• Osage Trails is located in Chariton, Saline, Pettis and Benton counties.

Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation

Entrance to the Sinquefield Invention Lab

Scouts playing chess on the life-sized chess board inside the Invention Lab

The Council operates Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation, also known as Camp Hohn. Scouts BSA and Venturing Camps are offered at Hohn. The camp is available for year-round use by Scout units for a variety of activities.

Inside the Sinquefield Program Building

Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is located on the Lake of the Ozarks Osage Arm at mile marker 44 near Laurie, Missouri. The camp offers facilities and equipment available for unit use and the Kit Carson Trail, an eight-mile-long perimeter trail which winds through the hills and along the bluff overlooking the Lake. The Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is home to the Sinquefield Invention Lab, Program Building and Welding/Blacksmithing Shop. The Sinquefield Invention Lab and Program Building was opened in May 2017, and is currently the only invention lab in the entire Boy Scouts of America. The Welding/Blacksmithing Shop opened in 2019. The facility has 9 labs: electronics & robotics, 2D design & woodworking, 3D modeling, blacksmithing, print & design, multimedia, leadership, business & ethics, and creativity. The Sinquefield Invention Lab and Program Building is used year-round as a merit-badge workshop, camping facility, and training center.

In addition, the Great Rivers Council has two mobile invention labs. These labs can be hooked onto a truck and taken anywhere in the council.

With the addition of the Sinquefield Invention Lab & Program Building, the Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is currently the only Scouts BSA camp where scouts have access to an invention lab, a COPE/Climbing course, shooting sports, and a full aquatics program.

Camp Thunderbird

Started 1960 (based on its 50th-anniversary in 2010), now closed.

Located in Randolph County Latitude 39.542258 Longitude -92.3293471 on Lake Thunderbird.

• 547 acres 12 group campsites Platform tents provided.
• Dining Hall or Patrol Cooking 33 Merit Badges offered.

Order of the Arrow

The council is served by the Nampa Tsi lodge.

In 1971 Meta #216 and Po-E-Mo #426 merged. This merge took place after the Great Rivers Council merged with the Lake of the Ozark Council. The name Nampa-Tsi translated means "twin lodges."

There have been different designs for the lodge pocket flap. The original design of our lodge flap, by Vigil Honor James Quick, had an Osage (pronounced Oh-Song-Eh) Indian with a reservation hat, a coup staff, a flaming arrow, a lake and rivers, and two tepees. Some think that the hat was worn by the Osage Indian because they traded with settlers. This was not the case. The hats were taken as coup from pioneer settlers after they had been scalped.

Sons of Daniel Boone

Originally, the Sons of Daniel Boone was created by Daniel Carter Beard to encourage boys to go outdoors for recreation. This organization became the Boy Pioneers of America which merged with similar outdoor groups into the Boy Scouts of America in 1910. In 2006, the Sons of Daniel Boone reemerged as an honor camp society for Scouts and Scouters who have kept returning to Great Rivers Council Summer Camp.

Invention Scouts

Invention Scouts Logo

Invention Scouts was founded in the Great Rivers Council in 2015 by Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield. It was founded as a Boy Scouts of America alternative to traditional STEM programs, which were too expensive and exclusive. The motto of Invention Scouts is "become an inventor and entrepreneur for life". The program is coeducational and is available to boys and girls aged 11–21. Scouts are exposed to cutting-edge equipment such as laser engravers, 3D printers, and CNC routers among others. Invention Scouts has its own ranks: Invention Scouts, Apprentice, Journeyman, & Master.

Greater Saint Louis Area Council

Main article: Greater Saint Louis Area Council

Heart of America Council

Main article: Heart of America Council

Heart of America Council has its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, and serves Scouts in both Missouri and Kansas. The Council has two sponsored camps, H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation and Theodore Naish Scout Reservation. Bartle offers Mic-O-Say as an honor society, and Naish is home to the Tamegonit Lodge of the Order of the Arrow.

Mississippi Valley Council

Main article: Scouting in Illinois

Mississippi Valley Council is headquartered in Quincy, Illinois, and is served by Black Hawk Lodge #67. This council serves Scouts in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa.

Ozark Trails Council

Ozark Trails Council
Location	Springfield, MO
Country	United States
Founded	1995
Council Scout Executive	Travis Rubelee
Website http://www.ozarktrailsbsa.org/

Ozark Trails Council is based in Springfield, Missouri, and serves Scouts in Missouri and Kansas. Camps in the Ozark Trails Council include:

• Camp Arrowhead offers programs for all Scouts, from first-year Trailblazer to High Adventure. Camp Arrowhead is situated on approximately 650 beautiful wooded acres in the Ozark Mountains near Marshfield in southwest Missouri. The property features a lake, many miles of hiking trails, a stream, caves, a spring, and many examples of native Missouri flora and fauna.

Scouts camping at Camp Arrowhead may enjoy traditional outdoor Scouting activities – backpacking, hiking, fishing, swimming, archery and shooting – as well as more challenging “adventure” and “aquatics” programs. These include: a C.O.P.E. course, mountain biking, rappelling, canoeing, small-boat sailing and snorkeling.

• Cow Creek located on Table Rock Lake just south of Branson, Missouri. Cow Creek is available for unit camping. The property is winterized October 1 through April 15; during this time utility water will not be available.
• Blazing Trails District
• Frontier District
• Mo-Kan District
• Nih-Ka-Ga-Hah District
• Osage Hills District
• Pathfinder District
• River Trails District

Camp Arrowhead

Camp Arrowhead is in Marshfield, Missouri located in Southwest Missouri.

The camp was started in 1924, and is the oldest continually operating Scouts BSA Camp west of the Mississippi River.

Camp Arrowhead offers programs for all Scouts, from first-year Trailblazer to High Adventure. Camp Arrowhead is situated on approximately 650 beautiful wooded acres in the Ozark Mountains near Marshfield in southwest Missouri. The property features a lake, many miles of hiking trails, a stream, caves, a spring, and many examples of native Missouri flora and fauna. The camp was likely named for the county's Native American relics.

Scouts camping at Camp Arrowhead may enjoy traditional outdoor Scouting activities – backpacking, hiking, fishing, swimming, archery and shooting – as well as more challenging “adventure” and “aquatics” programs. These include: a C.O.P.E. course, mountain biking, rappelling, canoeing, small-boat sailing and snorkeling.

Order of the Arrow

The council is served by Wah-Sha-She Lodge #42 since 1995. Wah-Sha-She was formed from the merger of Osage Lodge #42 and Ni-Ka-Ga-Hah Lodge #91. Lodge #42 has had a strong presence in the Section, Region, and National level. It has hosted several conclaves at Camp Arrowhead and been home to many section officers.

Wah-She-She has participated in every NOAC since its formation and has sponsored several teams in dance, ceremony, and other competitions. At the 2015 NOAC, Wah-Sha-She Lodge took 1st in the basketball competition.

Pony Express Council

The Pony Express Council is based in Saint Joseph, Missouri, and also serves Scouts in Kansas. The Council's summer camp is Camp Geiger, which is one of only two camps in the United States to offer Mic-O-Say rather than Order of the Arrow as the Scout honorary society. In the late 1970s, Pony Express Executive Parvin Bishop started the first Project C.O.P.E. program in the United States at the camp. After Bishop became Director of Program at the National Office, he expanded the program so that it became national.

• Crossed Arrows District
• Kanza District
• Ma-Has-Kah District
• Otoe District
• Robidoux District

Camp Geiger

The Origins of Camp Geiger

In December 1930, Dr. Charles Geiger, a local physician, generously donated his boyhood home to the Boy Scouts for use as a summer camp. The beautiful river bluff property he had once explored as a youth would soon become a cherished site for countless others, known as Camp Geiger. Clearing and building on the new property began promptly. A dining hall and caretaker’s cabin were constructed using the abundant rocks found in the area, and the main stream running through the heart of the property was dammed to create a swimming hole. A large bridge was built to span the ravine between the camp's main ridges, and living quarters were fashioned from rock, wood, and canvas. Finally, in July 1935, Camp Geiger officially opened as the council's summer camp. Its opening coincided with the construction of a new swimming pool, built high on the bluff overlooking the camp. Over the next fifteen years, Camp Geiger became a beloved destination for Scouts from St. Joseph and the surrounding areas.

Geiger Expands in the 1950s

By the early 1950s, it was evident that the camp’s growing popularity had outpaced its facilities. Additional land purchases enabled the development of a new camp, located to the north, high on the river bluffs. In December 1950, Harry Block of St. Joseph generously donated the first new building, the Block Memorial Training Center, which would serve as the Dining Hall and a training facility during the off-season. This marked the beginning of the "new Camp Geiger," and by 1952, most camp activities had moved to the northern area. This transition heralded the start of a new chapter in Camp Geiger's history. Additional buildings were donated by civic-minded organizations and individuals, including the Sol Hirsch Lodge (the Headquarters and Trading Post building) and the Handicraft Lodge, donated by the St. Joseph News-Press/Gazette in 1954. The Goetz Lodge was dedicated in 1956, and the Maryville Health Lodge, now used for camp staff housing, was built in 1965. By the late 1960s, the original swimming pool had served the camp for over 35 years, prompting the construction of a new pool on the northernmost property. This pool opened in the summer of 1971 and continues to serve Camp Geiger well, thanks to several renovations over the past five decades.

Further Expansion

In 1989, the property adjacent to the current camp entry road was purchased through the generous donations of several Chieftains of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. On this land, known as "Chieftains’ Corner," the Messick Dining Hall and the Colonel Courtney F. Turner Headquarters & Health Lodge were built, both opening in 1992. In the early 2000s, Camp Geiger acquired former quarry land south of the original camp, providing a buffer against potential development. In 2004, Richardson Lake was formed, and over the next few years, our impressive COPE course, climbing tower, and modern Archery and Rifle Range facilities were constructed. In 2015, Camp Geiger added FEMA-rated storm shelters to every campsite, making it safer for Scouts during severe weather than they might be at home.

Past Intertwines with the Present

For 90 years, Camp Geiger has served as a summer home away from home for tens of thousands of Scouts. Hikers along the current Shotgun Range path traverse parts of the original camp, where remnants of early structures, like the first Camp Geiger Dining Hall and the Dan Beard Adirondack campsite, can still be found. On quiet days, the echoes of young Scouts’ laughter from those early years can almost be heard, carrying their hopes and dreams to mingle with ours on the northern bluffs. Though Camp Geiger has continuously evolved with new programs and facilities, it has steadfastly preserved the traditions and values with which it began. At Camp Geiger, the future and the past are always alive!

Girl Scouting in Missouri

Map of Girl Scout Councils in Missouri

Missouri has three Girl Scout councils.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri serves more than 43,000 girls and has over 15,000 adult volunteers.

It was formed by merging Girl Scouts of The Becky Thatcher Area and The Girl Scout Council of Greater Saint Louis in 2007.

Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri

Camps:

• Camp Cedarledge is nearly 700 acres (280 ha) near Pevely, Missouri. Originally an old farm acquired by the Girl Scouts in 1927 and later expanded.
• Camp Fiddlecreek is 83 acres (34 ha) near Labadie, Missouri.
• Camp Tuckaho is 521 acres (211 ha) near Troy, Missouri.

Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri

Headquarters: Kansas City, Missouri

It was formed by a merger of Northeast Girl Scouts of Mid-Continent Council, Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council (Kansas), and Girl Scouts of the Midland Empire in 2007. It serves about 23,000 girls and has about 8,000 adult volunteers.

Camps:

• Camp Daisy Hindman, founded in 1929, is 160 acres (65 ha) in Dover, Kansas near Topeka.
• Camp Cutteru is near Junction City, Kansas
• Camp Timberlake was 72 acres (29 ha) near Stilwell, Kansas and started in 1959. It was sold after the merger to private owners, although still offers scout camping by reservation with the new owners.
• Tongawood Program center is 80 acres (32 ha) near Tonganoxie, Kansas
• Camp Oakledge is 410 acres (1.7 km²) near Warsaw, Missouri. It specializes in aquatic activities and started in 1945.
• Camp Prairie Schooner is over 170 acres (69 ha) near Kansas City, Missouri acquired in 1945.
• Winding River Camp is an equestrian camp of over 400 acres (160 ha) near Dearborn, Missouri. It started in 1965.
• Camp Woodland is near Albany, Missouri. It became a Girl Scout camp in 1948.
• Warrensburg Little House is in Warrensburg, Missouri
• Camp ToKaVaCa is 80 acres (32 ha) in Topeka, Kansas

Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland

Girl Scouts Missouri Heartland includes 67 counties in Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. It serves over 9,000 girls and has over 4,000 adult volunteers.

It was formed by a merger of Girl Scouts — Cotton Boll Area Council, Girl Scouts of Dogwood Trails Council, Girl Scouts — Heart of Missouri Council, Girl Scouts of Otahki Council, and Girl Scout Council of The Ozark Area on October 1, 2008.

Headquarters: Springfield, Missouri

Service Centers:

• Cape Girardeau, Missouri
• Dexter, Missouri
• Jefferson City, Missouri
• Joplin, Missouri

Camps:

• Camp Friendship Fields is 53 acres (21 ha) north of Pittsburg, Kansas (Crawford County, Kansas)
• Camp Latonka is on the shores of Lake Wappapello in Wayne County, Missouri
• Finbrooke Outdoor Center is 285 acres (115 ha) near Rogersville, Missouri (Christian County)*Green Berry Acres is 4 acres (1.6 ha) near the state capital, Jefferson City, Missouri (Cole County)
• Silver Meadows is 130 acres (53 ha) near Columbia, Missouri (Boone County)

Baden-Powell Service Association in Missouri

Missouri is home to the Baden-Powell Service Association's former Chief Commissioner, David Atchley. Atchley, an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, joined up in 2008, after being asked to leave his local Greater St. Louis Area Council after attempting to create a non-discrimination policy for the Cub Scout pack he was Cubmaster for. He started forming youth scouting sections for the BPSA based on other Traditional Scouting groups based in Canada and Great Britain. In 2009, Atchley became Chief Commissioner. Atchley then chartered his own BPSA scout group in 2010 called 10th Daniel Boone (now defunct) in Washington, Missouri. He resigned his position as Chief Commissioner to Susan Pesznecker in August 2015.

Currently, the Baden-Powell Service Association has just one chartered scout group in Missouri, and that is in the St. Louis, Missouri area. The BPSA is an inclusive, "back to basics" organization that welcomes boys and girls from 5 years of age through adulthood.

66th Confluence

66th Confluence BPSA
Location	St. Louis, Missouri
Country	United States
Founded	2012
Membership	54 (as of May 1, 2017)
Group Scoutmaster	Colin Suchland
Rover Scout Leader	Jeffrey Kopp
Pathfinder Scoutmaster	David Mulcahy
Timberwolf Pack Leader	Elke Overton
Otter Raft Leader	Rebecca Durst
Website http://www.66thconfluence.org/

The 66th Confluence scout group was formed in November 2012 following a BPSA Brownsea Training Camp that took place September 14–16, 2012 at Klondike Park in Augusta, Missouri. Several of the newly received Rover Squires from that training returned to St. Louis to begin the formation of the scout group, the ordinal "66" coming from the U.S. Route 66 highway that once crossed St. Louis, as well as the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, which is also in St. Louis.

References

• "Area Scout Leaders Named in 'Perversion Files'". www.KMZU.com. KMZU The Farm. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2022.