Cradle of Liberty Council facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cradle of Liberty Council (#525) |
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | Wayne, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1996 | ||
| Board Chairman | Mark J. Chilutti | ||
| Council Commissioner | Dr. Nilesh Shah | ||
| Scout Executive | Daniel Templar | ||
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| Website http://www.colbsa.org/ |
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The Cradle of Liberty Council (#525) is a local group of the Boy Scouts of America. It was formed in 1996. This happened when two older councils, the Philadelphia Council and the Valley Forge Council, joined together. The Philadelphia Council covered the city of Philadelphia. The Valley Forge Council covered Delaware and Montgomery counties.
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History of Scouting in the Area
The Cradle of Liberty Council was created in 1996. It brought together the Philadelphia Council and the Valley Forge Council.
Philadelphia Council's Beginnings
The Philadelphia Council started in 1911. In 1913, they opened one of the first Scout camps in the United States. This camp was called Treasure Island Scout Reservation. It was located near Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania.
Two years later, in 1915, something very special happened at Treasure Island. Dr. E. Urner Goodman and Carrol Edson started the Order of the Arrow there. This is a special honor society within Scouting. The first members joined on July 16, 1915. The Philadelphia Council also opened Camp Hart in 1930. This camp was later known as Hart Scout Reservation in Green Lane, Pennsylvania.
Valley Forge Council's Story
The Valley Forge Council began in the 1910s. At first, it was called the Delaware and Montgomery County Council. In the late 1930s, it changed its name to "Valley Forge Council." This name honored George Washington's historic winter camp at Valley Forge during the American Revolutionary War.
The Valley Forge Council opened Camp Delmont in 1916. This camp was also in Green Lane, Pennsylvania. Later, it became known as Delmont Scout Reservation. Camp Hart and Camp Delmont were actually next to each other.
Joining Forces: Resica Falls and the Merger
In 1955, a large area of land became available. The Philadelphia and Valley Forge Councils bought it together. They created the Resica Falls Scout Reservation. For a while, both councils used this camp. Then, in 1965, the Valley Forge Council bought out Philadelphia Council's share.
When the two councils merged in 1996, Scouts from all three counties could camp together again. Since 1913, the Valley Forge Council had hosted a yearly Scouting event. It was called the Valley Forge Pilgrimage and Encampment. The Cradle of Liberty Council continues to sponsor this event today.
During the 1980s and 1990s, many people moved from Philadelphia to the nearby suburbs. Because of this, the leaders of both councils decided to merge. They started the process in 1993, and it was completed in 1996.
When Scout councils merge, their Order of the Arrow lodges also join together. The Philadelphia Council's lodge was Unami One. It was the very first Order of the Arrow lodge, founded in 1915 at Treasure Island. The Valley Forge Council's lodge was Delmont Lodge 43. When the councils merged, Delmont Lodge joined with Unami Lodge. They decided to keep the name Unami Lodge, One.
Properties and Facilities
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Roger S. Firestone Scout Resource Center
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Bruce S. Marks Scout Resource Center in Philadelphia
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R. Tait McKenzie`s The Ideal Scout (1937), at the Bruce S. Marks Scout Resource Center in Philadelphia
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R. Tait McKenzie`s The Ideal Scout (1937), at the Bruce S. Marks Scout Resource Center in Philadelphia
Council Offices
The main office for the Cradle of Liberty Council is the Roger S. Firestone Scout Resource Center. It is located in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Another important building is the Bruce Marks Scout Resource Center in Philadelphia. It was built in 1929 and was the main office until 2013. This beautiful building was designed by architect Charles Klauder. It is located at 22nd and Winter Streets. A famous sculpture called The Ideal Scout by R. Tait McKenzie once stood outside this building.
Scout Camps
The Cradle of Liberty Council runs two main camps for Scouts: the Musser Scout Reservation and the Resica Falls Scout Reservation.
Musser Scout Reservation was created by combining two older camps. These were Delmont Scout Reservation and Hart Scout Reservation. Both were near Green Lane, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Council ran Hart, and the Valley Forge Council ran Delmont. They were combined and named Musser Scout Reservation to honor the Musser family, who have supported Scouting for a long time.
Resica Falls Scout Reservation is located north of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. It is near the Pocono Mountains. Resica Falls has two parts: Camp Firestone and Camp Big Springs. Big Springs is still an active summer camp. However, Camp Firestone's summer program closed because fewer Scouts were attending.
Until recently, the council also operated Treasure Island Scout Reservation. This camp was sometimes called TI. Unfortunately, the camp was damaged by floods from the Delaware River in 2005 and again in 2006. This forced it to close for summer camps. In 2008, the council decided to close Treasure Island permanently.
Unami Lodge, One
Unami Lodge, One, is the Order of the Arrow Lodge for the Cradle of Liberty Council. This lodge is very special because the Order of the Arrow began right here. It started at Treasure Island Scout Reservation in 1915. In 2015, the lodge celebrated its 100th anniversary!
Famous Alumni
See also
- Scouting in Pennsylvania
