| Mayflower Council | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Headquarters | Milford, Massachusetts | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 2017 | ||
| President | Ian Johnson | ||
| Council Commissioner | Josh Paulin | ||
| Scout Executive | Juan Osorio | ||
| Website www | |||
The Mayflower Council of the Boy Scouts of America serves the MetroWest and southeastern regions of Massachusetts. [1]
On March 28, 2017, Knox Trail Council and Old Colony Council voted to merge and create a new, combined council. The merger was executed on May 10, 2017, using the name "Council 251" to represent the new council until August 30, 2017, when the name "Mayflower Council" was selected. The council was headquartered at the former Knox Trail Council headquarters in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and the former Old Colony Council headquarters in Canton, Massachusetts was used as a satellite location. On October 2, 2020, the council moved into its new service center at 83 Cedar Street in Milford. Massachusetts.
Mayflower Council is separated into 5 districts. They are:
Mayflower Council owns and operates 3 camps. They are Camp Squanto within Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Camp Resolute in Bolton, Massachusetts, and Nobscot Scout Reservation on Nobscot Hill in Sudbury, Massachusetts.
Camp Squanto is a 650-acre (2.6 km2) camping facility located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, deep in the woods of Myles Standish State Forest. For seven weeks in the summer trained staff run a long-term camping experience for troops and individuals totalling nearly 2,000. During other weekends throughout the year, Camp Squanto is available to various groups and activities, such as Troop or Webelos camping, band camps, retreats, Order of the Arrow events, Klondike Derbies, Parent-Son Weekends, among others. The camp attracts 20,000 weekend visitors annually.
Although the Brockton Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the precursor of the Squanto Council, was formed in 1919, the first Camp Squanto was not opened until 1925.
The new camp was located on an 18.5-acre (75,000 m2) site on the west side of Bloody Pond in Plymouth, Massachusetts. In the spring of 1925, after an old farmhouse on the property was taken down, a combined dining and recreation hall was built. This building had facilities for 125 campers and staff, including a stone fireplace, a kitchen, storerooms, and an office for the camp.
A waterfront area with a U-shaped swimming dock, a lookout tower, and a fleet of canoes and rowboats was set up on the shore of the pond. An old bog on the former farm was converted into a sports field, and a campfire ring was built on a knoll near the waterfront. Parking and service areas were laid out in the rear of the dining hall, and an old farm woodshed was repaired for use as a crafts center during the camping season as well as off-season storage.
The first camping season started in the first week of July 1925. It was decided to call the new facility Camp Squanto, in honor of the Patuxet Indian, Tisquantum, whose aid to the Pilgrims in Plymouth helped them survive the first few difficult years of their settlement.
Although the first Scouts to camp at Camp Squanto lived in tents, these were gradually replaced with Adirondack shelters. The Scouts were divided into tribes, the Dakota, Comanche, Blackfoot, and Apache, thus establishing a tradition of naming campsites after various Indian tribes which continues today at Camp Squanto.
In 1932, the Brockton Scout Council which had previously included only the city of Brockton was expanded to take in the surrounding communities of Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Duxbury, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Marshfield, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, West Bridgewater, and Whitman and the new council adopted the Squanto name.
In the 1940s, the increased number of Scouts in the Squanto Council could no longer be accommodated with the limited facilities at the Bloody Pond site and a search was started for a larger area. In 1948/1949, a site containing several 100 acres (400,000 m2) was found which included the north and west shores of Fawn Pond in Plymouth. This land was given to the council by LeBaron R. Barker, a local cranberry grower and landowner.
In July 1949 a group of staff leaders and Scouters surveyed the new area and marked out the locations for future development. in the fall of the same year, a formal survey and layout of the camp was made. Since the winter of 1949/1950 was a mild one, many of the Scout troops in the council were able to work at cutting out brush and trees to prepare the sites for buildings and roads.
During the spring of 1950, some thirty-five new buildings were put up with the help of construction crews and the Engineering Service of the National Boy Scout Council. The first building constructed was the Director's Lodge, followed by the Staff/Office/Trading Post, and the Health Lodge.
The Dining Hall was put up in May and June and was ready for the opening of camp in July. In the meantime, lean-tos, toilets, a craft building, and winter lodges were built throughout the camp. With the completion of the chapel near the waterfront in the second week of the camp season, the first phase of development in the new camp was over.
In addition to the many buildings, a water system, sewage system, unit camping areas, a waterfront area, sports area, campfire/amphitheater, nature study areas, rifle and archery range, and other facilities were set up to make Camp Squanto one of the finest in the United States, a distinction it has maintained throughout the years.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the Squanto Spirit made itself evident in many ways. The Feast of Mondamin, an interpretation of the Song of Hiawatha paying tribute to the Great Spirit of the Indian nations, attracted over 2,000 spectators and was broadcast on the Boston television stations. Each of the troops in camp built a mound or small hill, reflecting the activities of various Indian tribes which had contributed to the history and growth of the philosophy of brotherhood which characterizes the Spirit of Squanto.
In later years, this Feast of Mondamin was incorporated into the impressive camp opening and closing ceremonies, which are witnessed annually by hundreds of campers, Scout leaders, parents, and families. This yearly reminder of the Spirit which is Squanto continues to be one of the highlights of each camping season at Camp Squanto.
The Spirit of Squanto showed itself again during this period when the adjoining Camp Cachalot was burnt to the ground by a forest fire which ravaged the area but spared most of Camp Squanto. The staff, Scout campers, and Scout leaders of Camp Cachalot were made welcome at Camp Squanto and shared the camp facilities until their own camp could be rebuilt.
One of the most active areas of camp during these years was the waterfront. The natural sandy beach on Fawn Pond was cleaned and extended to provide space for additional aquatic activities. The first watch tower was built out of logs by the camp staff. Later, with funds from the George W. Magee Memorial Fund, a more permanent tower was put up. Although the design of the dock and the composition of the waterfront fleet has changed over the years, some of the original boats and canoes are still in use after providing thousands of hours of pleasure and instruction to many Scouts during the years. Some of the most popular of these watercraft were the "whaleboats," old Navy launches which were donated as training craft and swimming platforms.
With the opening of camp in July 1950, a new era of camping in the Squanto Council was initiated. Since then, Camp Squanto has continued to grow, improve, and provide for the needs of Scouts and Scouters. An important factor in this growth has been the Squanto spirit, which has distinguished the camp since its beginnings. This growth has been especially pronounced from 1969 to the present time.
In 1970, the Squanto Council and the Old Colony Council merged. The tremendous growth in Scout attendance at camp coupled with the need for year-round building maintenance was recognized, and a year-round camp ranger was hired. Since the new Old Colony council took in most of the South Shore of Massachusetts from Weymouth and Braintree on the north to Plymouth in the south and Walpole on the west with a total of 41 towns, the need for more open space to provide for the needs of the Scouts and Scouters in the area became very real.
One of the first acts of the new council was the purchase of additional area abutting Fawn Pond which made it possible for the camp to control two-thirds of the land around the pond. An added bonus was the working cranberry bog included in the purchase. With the help of the Order of the Arrow and countless other volunteers, all the camp buildings were repaired and repainted.
Camp Resolute is a 325-acre (1.32 km2) camp located on Little Pond in Bolton, Massachusetts. The camp was founded in 1919 on the shores of Little Pond. The facility offers many activities for campers to do such as swimming, boating, hiking, rock climbing, rappelling, and ropes courses. It is the only Boy Scout camp in New England and one of 8 in the country to be accredited by the American Camping Association. Officially named the E. Paul Robsham Scout Reservation, the camp celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019. The Boy Scout camp occupies one half of the lake while the reservations Cub Scout day camp occupies the other.
| Tantamous Lodge | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 | ||
| Lodge Chief | Josh Nero | ||
| Lodge Adviser | Mike O'Keeffe | ||
| Staff Adviser | Aaron Christian | ||
| Website http://www.tantamous.org | |||
Mayflower Council's Order of the Arrow lodge is Tantamous #223, which was formed from Old Colony Council's Tisquantum Lodge #164 and Knox Trail Council's Chippanyonk Lodge #59 when the councils merged in 2017.
Tantamous Lodge is separated into five chapters which serve their respective districts. They are:
Myles Standish was an English military officer and colonist. He was hired as military adviser for Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts, United States by the Pilgrims. Standish accompanied the Pilgrims on the ship Mayflower and played a leading role in the administration and defense of Plymouth Colony from its foundation in 1620. On February 17, 1621, the Plymouth Colony militia elected him as its first commander and continued to re-elect him to that position for the remainder of his life. Standish served at various times as an agent of Plymouth Colony on a return trip to England, as assistant governor of the colony, and as its treasurer.
Scouting in Massachusetts includes both Girl Scout (GSUSA) and Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organizations. Boy Scouts of America was founded in the 1910s in Massachusetts. Girl Scouts USA was founded in 1912, by Juliette Gordon Low. With a vigorous history, both organizations actively serve thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Plymouth Colony was the first permanent English colony in New England from 1620 and the third permanent English colony in America, after Newfoundland and the Jamestown Colony. It was settled by the passengers on the Mayflower at a location that had previously been surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement served as the capital of the colony and developed as the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts. At its height, Plymouth Colony occupied most of the southeastern portion of Massachusetts. Many of the people and events surrounding Plymouth Colony have become part of American folklore, including the American tradition of Thanksgiving and the monument of Plymouth Rock.
Duxbury is a historic seaside town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb located on the South Shore approximately 35 miles (56 km) to the southeast of Boston, the population was 16,090 at the 2020 census.
Plymouth is a town and county seat of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in Greater Boston, the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore, and culture, and is known as "America's Hometown". Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Mayflower Pilgrims, where New England was first established. It is the oldest municipality in New England and one of the oldest in the United States. The town has served as the location of several prominent events, one of the more notable being the First Thanksgiving feast. Plymouth served as the capital of Plymouth Colony from its founding in 1620 until the colony's merger with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. The English explorer John Smith named the area Plymouth and the region 'New England' during his voyage of 1614. It was a later coincidence that, after an aborted attempt to make the 1620 trans-Atlantic crossing from Southampton, the Mayflower finally set sail for America from Plymouth, England.
Tisquantum, more commonly known as Squanto, was a member of the Wampanoag Patuxet tribe best known for being an early liaison between the Native American population in Southern New England and the Mayflower Pilgrims who made their settlement at the site of Tisquantum's former summer village, now Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Patuxet tribe had lived on the western coast of Cape Cod Bay, but an epidemic infection wiped them out, likely brought by previous European explorers.
The Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America serves all of the state of Rhode Island and some of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Its several camps include Camp Yawgoog, Champlin Scout Reservation, and Camp Norse.
Scouting in Rhode Island 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 Maine dates back to the creation of the Katahdin Area Council in 1920 and has continued prominently to the present day.
Yawgoog Scout Reservation is a 1,800-acre (7 km2) reservation for scouting located in Rockville, Rhode Island and operated by the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Founded in 1916, Yawgoog is the fifth oldest Boy Scout camp in the United States. At the camp is run an eight-week camping program every summer where Boy Scouts stay for a week with their troops. The reservation is divided into three camps: Three Point, Medicine Bow, and Sandy Beach.
Minsi Trails Council is a council of the Boy Scouts of America that serves Scouts in the Lehigh Valley and the Pocono Mountains regions of eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, the council serves five counties: Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe, Carbon, and Luzerne. In New Jersey, it serves Warren County.
The Central Florida Council serves Boy Scouts in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard, Volusia and Flagler Counties in Florida. Its headquarters was previously located in Orlando, Florida and is currently located in Apopka, Florida, just north of Orlando. Its primary Scout camp is Camp La-No-Che in Paisley, Florida, adjacent to the Ocala National Forest.
Myles Standish State Forest is a state forest located in the towns of Plymouth and Carver in southeastern Massachusetts, approximately 45 miles (70 km) south of Boston. It is the largest publicly owned recreation area in this part of Massachusetts and is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
Seneca Waterways Council (SWC) is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America that serves youth in Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, and Monroe Counties in Western New York. The current Council President is Ted Orr. The current Council Scout Executive is Stephen Hoitt.
Northeastern Pennsylvania Council, with headquarters in Moosic, Pennsylvania, formed in 1990 from the merger of Forest Lakes Council and Penn Mountains Council of the Boy Scouts of America. It covers the metropolitan area of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The council serves Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Wayne, Wyoming counties, and portions of Susquehanna county.
Thomas Dermer was a 17th-century navigator and explorer. Thomas Dermer explored the eastern coastline of America from 1614 to 1620. He was associated with Captain John Smith, The Newfoundland Company, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Jamestown, The Plymouth Company, and The Merchant Adventurers. Dermer, working side by side with Squanto, is credited with starting to normalize the relations between the Native Americans and Europeans. He was known to the Pilgrims from copies of his letters, that they had obtained. The Pilgrim colony directly benefited from the diplomatic ground work of Dermer and Squanto.
The Virginia Headwaters Council (VAHC) is the local council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) that serves Scouts in areas of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and West Virginia and areas of central Virginia.
Fearing Pond, also erroneously named on some maps as Fearings Pond, is a 24-acre (97,000 m2) natural kettlehole pond in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The average depth is ten feet and the maximum depth is 20 feet (6.1 m). It is located in the southern section of Myles Standish State Forest, north of Charge Pond, northwest of Abner Pond, west of Fawn Pond, south of College Pond, southeast of East Head Reservoir, and east of the forest headquarters. However there is no direct access as the bridge over the Wankinco River connecting Cranberry Road in Carver and Fearing Pond Road in Plymouth was washed out several years ago. The bridge has not been rebuilt.
The New England Colonies of British America included Connecticut Colony, the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth Colony, and the Province of New Hampshire, as well as a few smaller short-lived colonies. The New England colonies were part of the Thirteen Colonies and eventually became five of the six states in New England, with Plymouth Colony absorbed into Massachusetts and Maine separating from it.
Nobscot Hill is a USGS name for a high point in Middlesex County, Massachusetts with many public hiking trails, and the hill is located in Framingham and Sudbury. At the summit are various radio towers and a fire tower. Below the summit of Nobscot Hill is the Nobscot Scout Reservation which includes Tippling Rock, a popular viewing location. Surrounding the hill are other large parks and parcels of conservation land, including the Nobscot Conservation Land, Callahan State Park, the Sudbury Weisblatt Conservation Land, and Wittenborg Woods, which are connected by various hiking trails, including the Bay Circuit Trail.
