Scouting in Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scouting in Arkansas |
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Boy Scout Councils Serving Arkansas
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Map of Girl Scout Councils in Arkansas
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Scouting in Arkansas has a long and interesting history. It started way back in 1913. Since then, it has helped thousands of young people. Scouting programs teach important skills and values. They are designed to fit the natural environment of Arkansas.
Boy Scouts of America in Arkansas
How Boy Scouting Started (1910–1950)
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Arkadelphia Boy Scout Hut
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 Location in Arkansas
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| Location | 8th St., Arkadelphia, Arkansas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1939 |
| Built by | A.F. Bishop |
| Architect | National Youth Administration |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements, Rustic |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001526 |
| Added to NRHP | January 28, 2002 |
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) began in Arkansas in 1913. The first group was the Little Rock Council. It was led by volunteers at first. By 1921, W. G. Moseley became the first paid leader. The Little Rock Council later changed its name to the Pulaski County Council.
Many other Scout councils started around Arkansas. The De Soto Area Council formed in 1916. The Westark Area Council also began in 1916. That same year, Kia Kima Scout Reservation opened in Hardy. It was started by the Chickasaw Council.
Over the years, some councils changed their names. Others joined together to form bigger groups. This helped Scouting grow across the state.
The Arkadelphia Boy Scout Hut
The Arkadelphia Boy Scout Hut is a special building. It is located in Central Park in Arkadelphia. This hut is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
The hut was built between 1938 and 1939. It was a project of the National Youth Administration (NYA). The NYA was a program during the Great Depression. It helped young people find work. The hut shows the style of buildings made during that time. It is the only building of its kind left in Arkadelphia.
Even though the Boy Scouts own the building, the city of Arkadelphia actually owns the land. The hut was built for Boy Scout troops. But since 1958, Girl Scout troops have also used it. Today, both Cub Scout Pack 3024 and Girl Scout Troop 454 meet there.
Boy Scouting in Arkansas Today
Today, four main councils serve Boy Scouts in Arkansas. These are the Caddo Area Council, the De Soto Area Council, the Natural State Council, and the Chickasaw Council.
Caddo Area Council
| Caddo Area Council (#584) | |||
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Cossatot Double Eagle
Long Horn |
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | Texarkana, Texas | ||
| Country | United States | ||
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| Website caddobsa.org |
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The Caddo Area Council helps young people in southwest Arkansas. It also serves parts of northeast Texas.
Camps
- Camp Preston Hunt is in Texarkana, Arkansas. It is used all year for Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA. The camp is over 250 acres. It has cabins, tent camping areas, and a large dining hall. There is also a lake for canoeing.
Chickasaw Council
| Chickasaw Council (#558) | |||
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | Memphis, Tennessee | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | February 22, 1916 | ||
| Membership | 7,339 youth
4,135 adults (as of January 13, 2015) |
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| Website www.chickasaw.org |
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The Chickasaw Council serves Scouts in Crittenden County, Arkansas. It also covers parts of Tennessee and Mississippi. It started in 1916. The council has two camps: Kia Kima Scout Reservation and Camp Currier.
De Soto Area Council
| De Soto Area Council (#013) | |||
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Three Rivers Conquistador
Loblolly |
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De Soto Area Council office
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | El Dorado, Arkansas | ||
| Country | United States | ||
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| Website desotobsa.org |
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The De Soto Area Council serves young people in southeastern Arkansas.
Camps
- Camp De Soto is a popular camp for this council.
Natural State Council
| Quapaw Area Council (#018) | |||
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Cherokee Delta
Diamond Lake Foothills Mohawk Saracen Nischa Sipo Three Rivers Thunderbird White River |
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | Little Rock, Arkansas | ||
| Country | United States | ||
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| Website quapawbsa.org |
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The Quapaw Area Council and the Westark Area Council recently joined together. They formed a new council called the "Natural State Council." This happened on December 1, 2023. This new council is the largest in Arkansas. It covers many counties and serves thousands of youth.
Camps
The Natural State Council operates the Gus Blass Scout Reservation. It is located west of Damascus. The first camp for this council was Camp Quapaw. It opened in 1925. Later, in 1975, the council got Camp Kiwanis. This camp was much larger. It was renamed the Cove Creek Scout Reservation.
In 1981, a part of Cove Creek became Camp Montgomery. This was named after a former Scout leader. In 2001, the entire reservation was renamed. It became the Gus Blass Scout Reservation. Camp Montgomery became Camp Rockefeller. These names honor people who supported Scouting.
The Gus Blass Scout Reservation also has the Donald W. Reynolds Scout Training Center. This center has a large dining hall. It also has rooms for sleeping and classrooms.
Westark Area Council (now part of Natural State Council)
| Westark Area Council (#016) | |||
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Cornerstone Razorback
Butterfield Trail Ozark Magazine Mountain |
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| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | Fort Smith, Arkansas | ||
| Location | 1401 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith, AR 72901 | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1920 | ||
| Membership | 6500 | ||
| President | Greg Fogle | ||
| Council Commissioner | Robert "Bob" Christiansen | ||
| Scout Executive | Chris Daughtrey | ||
| Assistant Scout Executive | Christian Swain | ||
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| Website westarkbsa.org |
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The Westark Area Council started in 1920. It was first called the Fort Smith Council. Over the years, it grew and changed names several times. In 1937, it became the Westark Area Council. It recently merged to form the Natural State Council.
The council also has a Youth Diversion Program. This program helps young people who made a mistake. It gives them a second chance. It teaches them responsibility and helps them move forward.
Camps
- Camp Orr was bought in 1953. It has been used since 1955. It covers almost 600 acres. It is the only Boy Scout Camp inside a National Park. It is located south of Harrison.
- Rogers Scout Reservation is another camp. It was developed in the 1970s.
- Camp Spencer is a smaller, primitive camping area. It is on Lake Norfork.
High Adventure Activities
Arkansas offers exciting high adventure activities for Scouts.
- The White River Canoe Race is a popular event.
- Camp ORR High Adventure Base is in Jasper, Arkansas. It is near the Buffalo National River. This base has over 100 miles of hiking trails. Scouts can also float on the Buffalo River. There are mountain biking trails and climbing spots. One famous spot is Garrhole Bluff. It has a 300-foot rappel!
Girl Scouting in Arkansas
There are two Girl Scout councils that serve girls in Arkansas.
Girl Scouts - Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas
| Girl Scouts - Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas | |||
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| Owner | GSUSA | ||
| Headquarters | North Little Rock, Arkansas | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Chair of the Board | Barbara Bethell | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | Denise Stewart | ||
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| Website girlscoutsdiamonds.org |
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This council serves girls in most of Arkansas. It also includes parts of Oklahoma and Texas. It was formed in 2008. Several smaller Girl Scout councils joined together to create it.
Service Centers
The council has several local offices to help members. These are in:
Camps
The Girl Scouts - Diamonds council has several camps:
- Camp Cahinnio is about 400 acres. It is near Booneville.
- Camp Crossed Arrows is also 400 acres. It is south of Batesville. It opened in 1965.
- Burnham Woods is a smaller property. It serves the Fort Smith area.
- Radford House is in Hot Springs.
- Camp NOARK is 300 acres in the Ozarks. It is near Huntsville.
- Camp High Point is 163 acres. It is in the Ouachita Mountains near Mena. It opened in 1945. It is not currently in use.
Historic Camps
Camp Ouachita was a Girl Scout camp from 1937 to 1979. It is now a National Historic District. This camp is special because it was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was another program during the Great Depression. It is the only WPA-built Girl Scout camp still standing.
Girl Scouts Heart of The South
This council serves Crittenden County, Arkansas. It also covers parts of Tennessee.
See also
- Roy Williams (Scouting)
- Southern Region (Boy Scouts of America)
