Great Smoky Mountain Council facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Great Smoky Mountain Council (#557)
Owner	Boy Scouts of America
Headquarters	Knoxville, Tennessee
Country	United States
Founded	1911
Website http://www.eastTNscouts.org/

The Great Smoky Mountain Council is a local group of the Boy Scouts of America in Tennessee. Its main office is in Knoxville. This council helps Scouts in 21 counties across East Tennessee, covering two different time zones.

The council also owns and runs a special place called Camp Buck Toms. This summer camp is located near Rockwood, Tennessee, right on the beautiful shores of Watts Bar Lake.

History of Scouting in East Tennessee

The Great Smoky Mountain Council started as the Knoxville Council in August 1911. Dr. Charles H. Gordon, a professor at the University of Tennessee, was chosen as its first president. The goal was to bring Scouting to young people in the area.

By October 1911, six Scout troops had formed in different parts of Knoxville, with about 100 Scouts in total. These early troops helped boys learn important skills and values.

Growing the Council

On January 29, 1915, the council was officially reorganized and renamed the Knox County Council. It now covered all of Knox County. Important leaders like David T. Blakely and William P. “Buck” Toms helped guide the new council.

In 1916, the Knox County Council held a successful summer camp at Chilhowee Park. It was called Camp Ottosee. Scouts learned swimming, first-aid, and other important Scout skills. Troop No. 4 won the field day competition at the end of camp.

Later in 1916, the council started a fundraising effort to hire a full-time Scout Executive and buy a permanent camp. They quickly raised over $10,000. This success helped the Knox County Council become a "first-class council" by the Boy Scouts of America Headquarters. In January 1917, Robert John Charles was hired as the first Scout Executive. At that time, the council had about 225 registered Boy Scouts in 10 troops.

Scouts in Action

Knoxville Scouts showed how "Be Prepared" they were in May 1917. The steps of Park City High School collapsed with many students on them. Scouts from Troops 2, 4, and 5 were there and quickly gave first-aid to the injured. Their quick actions earned praise from local school officials and the BSA Headquarters in New York.

By June 1917, the council began looking for land to build a permanent Scout camp. They wanted 10-50 acres on a body of water, within 10-12 miles of Knoxville. Within a few years, they bought land near Powell, Tennessee, for their new camp.

Changes and Mergers

Over the years, other Scout councils formed and merged. The Cumberland Council formed in Lenoir City in 1927. During the Great Depression, these councils combined into the Knoxville Area Council. In 1943, the name was changed to the Great Smoky Mountain Council, which it is still called today.

The first summer camp for the Knox County Council was held in 1915 at Camp Helpful, near Elkmont. This area is now part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A few years later, camp was held at a place called The Scout Ranch in Powell.

Scouting for All

For many years, Scouting in the United States was separated by race. In Knoxville, a separate Black Scouting division was created in the early 1930s. This division had its own leaders, training, camps, and activities, just like the white Scouting program.

In 1931, Jacques A. Beauchamp visited Knoxville to help organize Black Boy Scout troops. He spoke at Austin High School, a Black high school, to encourage young people to join. Soon after, three Black Boy Scout troops (Troop Nos. 60-62) were formed. Over time, these separate programs eventually merged, bringing all Scouts together.

Camp Pellissippi and Camp Buck Toms

In 1936, the Knoxville Council leased land on Norris Lake from the Tennessee Valley Authority. This became the council's summer camp, named Camp Pellissippi. The first summer camp at Pellissippi was in 1938, with 75 Scouts attending. The next year, 600 Scouts came! Pellissippi Lodge 230 of the Order of the Arrow is named after this camp.

In 1952, several Scout leaders, including William Perry "Buck" Toms, bought land on Watts Bar Lake. This land became Camp Buck Toms. The first summer camp there was in 1955, with 155 Scouts and leaders. Back then, campers had to arrive by boat because there wasn't a road to the camp! Electricity was added to the camp in 1957.

In 1977, the dining hall at Camp Pellissippi was destroyed by fire. Since then, Camp Pellissippi has not been used as a summer camp, though troops can still use the property for camping. This made Camp Buck Toms the main summer camp for the Great Smoky Mountain Council. Camp Pellissippi still hosts an annual winter camp for Boy Scouts.

Camp Buck Toms has continued to grow and improve. In 1994, many new buildings were added, including a larger dining hall. In 2022, the council built a third dining hall at Camp Buck Toms to serve even more Scouts.

How the Council is Organized

The Great Smoky Mountain Council regularly plans for the future. In September 2019, they formed a special committee to study how to best serve all the Scouts in their area. This committee included over 40 experienced volunteers from every district.

After a year of work, the committee suggested a new way to organize the council. This plan was approved in September 2020. It helps make sure that all 21 counties in East Tennessee get the best Scouting programs.

Since January 1, 2021, the council has been divided into 6 districts:

• Cades Cove District, serving Blount, Loudon, Meigs, McMinn, and Monroe Counties.
• Cataloochee District, serving southern Knox County, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, and Sevier Counties.
• Eagle Creek District, serving Cumberland, Fentress, Morgan, Pickett, Roane, and Scott Counties.
• Mount Cammerer District, serving central and northern Knox County, Campbell, Claiborne, and Union Counties.
• Mount Le Conte District, serving western Knox County and Anderson County.
• Tremont District, serving STEM Scouts in the Knoxville area.

Pellissippi Lodge

Pellissippi Lodge #230 is the Order of the Arrow lodge for the Great Smoky Mountain Council. The Order of the Arrow is an honor society within the Boy Scouts of America, focused on cheerful service and brotherhood. Its main office is in Knoxville, TN.

The Pellissippi Lodge has a rich history. One notable member is Jeff Moser, who was the National Chief of the Order of the Arrow from 1997 to 1998. He helped promote the values of service and Scouting across the country. The Lodge has also hosted several National Order of the Arrow Conferences (NOACs) at the University of Tennessee, including in 1977, 1992, 2000, and 2022.

Lodge Activities

The original Lodge Flap of the Pellissippi Lodge.

The Pellissippi Lodge holds many events each year that focus on friendship and service. These events include:

• Fall and Spring Fellowship
• Summer Bash
• Winter Banquet
• Conclave

The lodge also holds two Ordeals each year (in May and August) to welcome new members who have been chosen to join the Order of the Arrow.

Images for kids

• 

  The Pat and Joe Johnson Dining Hall at Camp Buck Toms.