Northern New Jersey Council facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Northern New Jersey Council (#333) |
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | Oakland, New Jersey | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1999 | ||
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| Website http://nnjbsa.org |
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The Northern New Jersey Council is a special group that helps organize Boy Scouts of America activities for young people in parts of New Jersey. It was created in January 1999 to better support Scouting in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic counties. This council helps thousands of Scouts learn new skills, go on adventures, and become great leaders.
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Exploring the Council's History
Before the Northern New Jersey Council was formed, many smaller Scouting councils served different towns and areas. Over many years, these smaller councils often joined together to become larger, stronger groups. For example, councils like Ridgewood, Englewood, and Paterson were among the first to form in the early 1900s.
Eventually, these groups combined with others, like the Bloomfield-Nutley Council (which became Tamarack Council) and the Montclair, Caldwell, and Glen Ridge councils (which formed the Eagle Rock Council). This process of merging continued for decades, bringing together many local Scouting communities.
Finally, on January 1, 1999, four large councils—the Essex (#336), Hudson Liberty (#338), Bergen (#350), and Passaic Valley councils—all merged to create the single, unified Northern New Jersey Council we know today. This big merger helped to serve more Scouts across a wider area.
How the Council is Organized
The Northern New Jersey Council is divided into three main areas, called districts, to help manage Scouting activities.
- Three Rivers District—This district covers Hudson County and the eastern part of Bergen County.
- Ramapo Valley District—This district includes Passaic County and the western part of Bergen County.
- Lenape Trail District—This district serves all of Essex County.
Fun Camps and Adventures
The Northern New Jersey Council operates six exciting camps where Scouts can have amazing outdoor experiences.
Camp Alpine
Camp Alpine (New Jersey) is located in Alpine, New Jersey. It is a great place for weekend camping trips and for hiking along the historic Palisades Trail.
Dow Drukker Scout Reservation
Dow Drukker Scout Reservation is found in Cuddebackville, New York. This reservation is home to two camps: Camp Turrell and Camp Kluge, offering many different Scouting programs.
Floodwood Mountain Reservation
| Floodwood Mountain Reservation | |||
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| Location | Saranac Lake, NY | ||
| Coordinates | 44°20′51″N 74°26′32″W / 44.3476°N 74.4423°W | ||
| Founded | 1965 | ||
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| Website http://www.floodwood.org/ |
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Floodwood Mountain Reservation was started in 1963 and has welcomed Scouts for over 62 years. It includes the Rollins Pond Canoe Base and the West Pine Pond Camp. Both are located in Altamont, NY, close to Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, and near many beautiful lakes and the Adirondack High Peaks.
Floodwood offers activities like rock climbing, waterskiing, and archery. It also has many day hikes and canoe trips. While there are programs at the camp, Floodwood is especially known for its high-adventure canoe and backpacking treks into the wilderness.
The Bergen Council, BSA, acquired Floodwood Mountain Reservation on November 22, 1963. After some planning, an outpost camp was set up at Rollins Pond for the summer of 1965. This new idea of wilderness camping was very successful. Since 1970, units have camped at West Pine Pond, while Rollins Pond is still used as a starting point for canoe trips and for the water skiing program.
Camp Lewis
Camp Lewis is located in the Hibernia Section of Rockaway Township, in Morris County. It is open for weekend camping all year round. During the summer, it also hosts a Cub Scout Resident Camp. The council's COPE (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) course is also found here.
Camp Lewis History
Camp Lewis was a gift from the Rosenthal family, who founded the Maidenform company. They donated the land to honor their son, Lewis Rosenthal, who passed away during a vacation. The family wanted the camp to be named after him. Legend has it that Lewis drowned, but the real cause of his death was meningitis.
Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco
| Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco | |||
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| Location | Blairstown, New Jersey | ||
| Coordinates | 41°03′41″N 74°56′34″W / 41.06149°N 74.94267°W | ||
| Founded | 1927 | ||
| Camp Director | Bob Johnson | ||
| Ranger | Tom Rich | ||
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Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, often called NoBe, is a Boy Scouts of America camp in Hardwick Township, New Jersey. The Northern New Jersey Council owns it, and it first opened in 1927.
No-Be-Bo-Sco runs its main summer program from July to August each year. Scouts can take dozens of merit badge classes and participate in many activities over six weeks. Bob Johnson has been the Camp Director since 1988, making 2025 his 38th summer leading the camp. Each summer at NoBe has a new and exciting theme.
NoBe also has programs available all year. Heated cabins can be rented by troops for weekend trips. The camp is a great starting point for hikes along the famous Appalachian Trail or for exploring the nearby Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area.
Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco History
Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco sits by Sand Pond at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge. The area was once home to the Tohockonetcong Band of the Minisink Tribe.
Over 500 Boy Scouts attended the very first summer season in 1927. The first Camp Ranger, Elmer Baker, was hired in 1928. He and his crew built the camp's log cabins between 1928 and 1931.
The camp remained open during World War II. Scouts even brought their own food rations to summer camp because supplies were scarce due to the war effort. During the war, on February 22, 1944, a B-17F Flying Fortress plane crashed into the nearby Kittatinny Ridge.
In the 1960s, there was a plan to build a large dam and recreation area along the Delaware River. This project led the federal government to buy some of the camp's mountain land in 1970, reducing Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco to about 369 acres (1.49 km2). However, the dam project was later stopped. The land became part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which now gives the camp direct access to over 69,000 acres (280 km2) of federal parkland.
In 1979, the camp became famous as a filming location for the movie Friday the 13th, which came out in 1980. Today, the camp sometimes hosts special events and tours for fans of the film.
In 1988, Bob Johnson became the Camp Director. He brought new energy to the program, creating a central staff area, improving the Dining Hall kitchen, and developing a unique summer camp experience. His high-energy program is known for its enthusiastic staff, great food, and original campfires.
In 1990, a group of volunteers started the "Weboree," a popular event that helped increase both summer and winter attendance at the camp. This boosted the camp's finances and brought back excitement for Scouting.
Tom Rich became the camp's ranger in 1995. That same year, volunteers led by a Scout named Steve Kallesser renovated the dining hall. Two years later, the same group converted the Protestant Chapel into an all-faiths facility and built a new outdoor chapel.
Between 2008 and 2010, the Northern New Jersey Council launched a campaign to improve the camp. This led to the renovation of most of the camp's cabins and facilities.
Camp Yaw-Paw
Camp Yaw-Paw is a 400-acre (1.6 km2) property located in the Ramapo Mountain Range. It offers a winter camping program from September through May. During the summer months, Camp Yaw-Paw serves as the NNJ Council's Cub Day Camp.
Camp Glen Gray
Camp Glen Gray was located near Mahwah, New Jersey in the Ramapo Mountains in Bergen County, New Jersey. It was founded in 1917 by Frank Gray for the Montclair Council. The 150-acre (0.61 km2) camp is named after Frank Gray, who was a well-known early professional Scouter in that area. Today, the camp is a Bergen County Park and is managed by The Friends of Glen Gray, Inc.
Order of the Arrow Honor Society
The Order of the Arrow is Scouting's National Honor Society. The Northern New Jersey Council's chapter is called the Lenapehoking Lodge.
Lenapehoking Lodge was formed by combining several older lodges: Mantowagan Lodge #14, Meechgalanne Lodge #178, Oratam Lodge #286, and Aquaninoncke Lodge #359.
The history of Lenapehoking Lodge goes back to the very beginning of the Order of the Arrow. Pamrapaugh Lodge #14, founded in 1921, was one of the first ten lodges ever created in the Order of the Arrow. It was even at the first big meeting in Philadelphia in 1921! Another important part of its history comes from Elauwit Lodge #37, which was linked to Carroll A. Edson, one of the co-founders of the Order of the Arrow.
See also
