It was formed through the merger of West Suburban Council and Thatcher Woods Council in 1993. The council operated Camp Shin-Go-Beek near Waupaca, Wisconsin and Camp Mach-Kin-O-Siew near Elcho, Wisconsin. The council operated The BSA Adventure Camp in Rochelle, Illinois in a joint venture with Three Fires Council. The council sold Camp Tomo-Chi-Chi-Knolls in Huntley, Illinois to the Kane County Forest Preserve District as of January 1, 2007. Long before that it sold its Camp Delavan located on Lake Delavan in Wisconsin. Des Plaines Valley Council was served by Pachsegink OA Lodge.
District Organization
District organization at the time of the merger was:
The boats owned by the camp viewed from Mach's "Stairway to Heaven" lookout tower.
With a size of approximately 590 acres surrounded by more wooded areas, it provided a northwoods wilderness type camping environment.
The camp summer program has operated for as many as 8 weeks per year. This was eventually reduced to two weeks a year, from the last week of July to the first week of August. Scout troops stayed for 7 days at a time, checking in Sunday, checking out Saturday.
Major parts of the camp's program were its merit badge classes. A wide range of merit badges were offered. The Order of the Arrow lodge held a calling-out ceremony at camp, and candidates have the opportunity to complete their ordeal induction the following day. Other activities included hiking, fishing, a bog hike,[5] boating, rifle, shotgun, climbing, swimming and livesaving.[6]
Mach's facilities included a waterfront area, a field sports area (comprising rifle, shotgun, and archery ranges), thirteen campgrounds, several piers, a campfire bowl, a climbing tower, a forge, a water slide, a shower house, and a chapel.[4] However, the camp had no dining hall, so the Scouts cook all their meals with supplies provided by the camp (except for the first and last dinners.)[5]
The extensive waterfront area was located on a beach along Enterprise Lake. It consists of a large swimming area, a lookout tower dedicated to the memory Of Scouter Rudolph J. Kasal, a boat dock,[4] and a water slide.[7] The camp owned a fleet of boats, consisting of kayaks, sunfish class sailboats, catamarans, an inboard motorboat for waterskiing, two outboard motorboats, rowboats, canoes, a dinghy, and sailboards. The camp also has two smaller lakes "Big Apple" and "Little Apple" within its borders.
The Camp Cup was a competition between the troops visiting the camp. The scoring for the Camp Cup was derived from campsite inspections and competitions in Scout skills (e.g. archery). One major competition was Monster Camp, in which troops decorate their campsite using Scout skills. Judges searched in the temporary sets for good use of Scout skills, such as lashings.
Because the Boy Scouts of America maintains a "Leave No Trace" philosophy, the Scouts that attend Camp Mach attempt to preserve the camp's natural environment. The only island in Enterprise Lake was owned by the camp.[4] It is maintained as a wildlife sanctuary, therefore no person can set foot on the island. Other natural features include two small lakes, a bog, and a marsh.[4]
The camp has ceased to operate as a Boy Scout camp.[8]
Camp Shin-Go-Beek
Since 1948, Camp Shin-Go-Beek has been located near Waupaca, Wisconsin on Big Twin and Little Twin lakes. The camp is close to the chain-of-lakes area of central Wisconsin, the Crystal River and Shadow Lake (used for camp canoe trips), and many outdoor recreation areas including the Wolf and Fox Rivers. College towns of Oshkosh, Appleton, and Stevens Point are nearby. The camp is serviced by Order of the Arrow Pachsegink Lodge.
Both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts use Camp Shin-Go-Beek. The camp operated for several weeks in late June and early July, then the staff moved to Camp Mach-Kin-O-Siew for two weeks. The camp is home to chipmunks, deer, coyotes, and many endangered birds, such as the bald eagle, the sandhill crane, and the blue heron.
The camp has ceased to operate as a scout camp following the summer season of 2015,[8] however the western section of the property has been acquired by the Shin-Go-Beek Foundation which has continued camping operations under the name "Camp Shin-Go-Beek". The camp was reopened to campers in 2018.[9]
Scouting in Colorado has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day.
Scouting in Minnesota has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Scouting in North Dakota has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Scouting in Oklahoma has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Scouting in Texas has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, so that they may play constructive roles in society.
Scouting in Washington has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Wisconsin has a long history with the Boy Scout and Girl Scout organizations from the 1910s to the present day, both programs have independently served thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Scouting in Illinois has served youth since 1909. The state was the home of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) founder, William D. Boyce.
Scouting in Indiana has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Scouting in New York has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. The first National Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Headquarters was in New York City, and the Girl Scouts of the USA National Headquarters is currently located at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
Elcho is a town in Langlade County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2010 census. The census-designated places of Elcho, Post Lake, and part of Summit Lake are located in the town. The area is served by the Elcho Fire and Rescue Department.
Northeast Illinois Council is a Boy Scouts of America local council that is headquartered in Vernon Hills, Illinois, United States.
Chief Seattle Council is the local council governing the scouting activities of the Boy Scouts of America in a large part of the Puget Sound and Seattle area, including almost all of the Olympic Peninsula.
Westchester–Putnam Council was a local council of the Boy Scouts of America, serving Boy Scouts in southeastern New York State. It merged with the Hudson Valley Council in January 2021 to become the Greater Hudson Valley Council.
The Great Lakes Field Service Council was a field service council of the Michigan Crossroads Council, a local council of the Boy Scouts of America. It served the Detroit metropolitan area and covers all of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. The council had eight districts, one council service center, and four camp properties.
Founded in 1915, the Greater Los Angeles Area Council (GLAAC) (#033) served most of the City of Los Angeles as well as several other cities in the greater Los Angeles area. It was one of five Boy Scouts of America councils in Los Angeles County, California. Since its founding in 1915, the Los Angeles Area Council has brought its purpose and values to millions of youth. The Council served 54,567 youth in the Greater Los Angeles Area in 2008 alone.
Samoset Council is a Boy Scout council headquartered in Weston, Wisconsin that serves north central Wisconsin. Founded in 1920, the council gets its name from an early Boy Scout camp in the Town of Harrison named Camp Sam-O-Set. The council is served by Tom Kita Chara Lodge of the Order of the Arrow.
Three Harbors Council is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America serving three southeastern Wisconsin counties: Milwaukee County, Racine County, and Kenosha County. Its name and logo refer to the three major port cities of Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha on Lake Michigan.
The Bay-Lakes Council is the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) council serving eastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, it is geographically one of the largest local BSA councils. Bay-Lakes Council #635 was formed on July 1, 1973, the product of a merger between six east Wisconsin councils. The council is served by Kon Wapos Lodge of the Order of the Arrow.
Pathway to Adventure Council is a Boy Scouts of America local council headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Created from the merger of four councils, it now spans over a large portion of Chicago metropolitan area and part of Northwest Indiana. The council operates two camps and four service centers and has over 21,000 youth members.
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