| Monmouth Council | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
| Location | Monmouth County, New Jersey | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1917 | ||
| President | Timothy J. Hogan FACHE | ||
| Council Commissioner | Brian Valentino | ||
| Scout Executive | Michael P. Mahon | ||
| Website http://www.monmouthbsa.org | |||
Monmouth Council, BSA, established in 1917, serves all of Monmouth County, New Jersey and part of Middlesex County, New Jersey. The Council was the starting point for the landmark US Supreme Court case Boy Scouts of America v. Dale .
The council is divided into 4 districts:
| Forestburg Scout Reservation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Forestburgh, New York | ||
| Coordinates | 41°31′38″N74°44′40″W / 41.527314°N 74.744329°W [1] | ||
| Camp size | 1225 acres | ||
| Founded | 1956 | ||
| Founder | J. Fred Billet | ||
| Ranger | George Kaiser | ||
| Assistant Ranger | Mike Rommell | ||
| Director | Patrick “Jelly” Kelly | ||
| Program Director | Will “Peanut Butter” Stein | ||
| Website http://monmouthbsa.org/fsr | |||
Forestburg Scout Reservation (FSR) is a Boy Scout Camp located in Forestburgh, New York. This is in Sullivan County. The property is owned by Monmouth Council, New Jersey and offers year-round camping in two distinct but connected camps, the J. Fred Billett Camp and the Dan Beard Camp.
The first summer camp session at Forestburg was held in 1956, following the initial land purchase of the 635-acre (2.57 km2) estate of Dr. Thomas Darlington, former Health Commissioner for New York City. [2] The camp nearly doubled in size in 1965 with an additional purchase of the 600-acre (2.4 km2) Metauk Rod & Gun Club.
The three most notable features of the reservation are Burnt Hope Lake, Tecumseh Rock and Darlington Falls. Burnt Hope Lake is a manmade lake originally named Hope Lake, after the Hope Lumber Company, but renamed after fires in 1805 and 1864 put the company out of business.
Forestburg features programs in different areas- Waterfront, which includes swimming and boating on Burnt Hope Lake, Scoutcraft, which features pioneering and outdoor skills, Handicraft, which is where skills in creating things are taught, Field Sports, which has shooting-related merit badges, Environmental Conservation, where classes dealing with nature are taught, Technology Center, which teaches science related badges and houses the W2FSR amateur radio station, and Frontier Camp, where the newest scouts work towards Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class Ranks. Unlike its brother camp, FSR does not feature a "theme".
| Quail Hill Scout Reservation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Manalapan, New Jersey | ||
| Coordinates | 40°15′53″N74°23′31″W / 40.264730°N 74.391899°W | ||
| Founded | 1967 | ||
| Founders |
| ||
| Ranger | Adam Schumard | ||
| Camp Director | Sandy Byard | ||
| Program Director | Gayle Wilton | ||
| Website http://monmouthbsa.org/qhsr | |||
Until 1964 when Monmouth Council purchased the Quail Hill property from sisters Elizabeth and Grace LeValley, it was a working farm. Early maps show barns, a corn crib, and orchards on the property, and even today foundation stones from the old buildings can be seen. The property was intended to replace Camp Housman, the council’s in-council camp since the 1940s. Camp Housman was too small and swampy for the kind of programs the council wanted to implement, including extensive training courses and enhanced Cub Scout camping and activities.
Chet Fromm was tapped to develop the LeValley sister’s farm into a proper Boy Scout camp. Chet was a former Army man who had been director of training at Housman and a District Executive as well. He served as the first Ranger until retirement in 1983. Subsequent Rangers have been George Leidy, John Herlihy, Randy Blades, Jim Mechkowski and currently, Adam Schumard.
Between 1964 and 1967 the camp roads and parking lots were constructed, the Webelos and Scout lodges were built, the pond was enlarged to its present size, the campfire bowl was created, and the all-faiths chapel was built. Also, grass seed was sown in the farm fields to create the activities fields seen there today.
Quail Hill was formally dedicated on October 7, 1967. That weekend was also the huge council camporee, the first activity held at Quail Hill. So many people showed up that cars were parked all the way out to Route 33.
Later additions to the camp included the pool and shower house, the Ranger's house and shops, renovation of the farm’s garage to become Devlin Lodge, BB and archery ranges, and program shelters at the Webelos lodge and Scout lodge. More recently, the Lawrence Training Center and Lass Lodge and a flush toilet facility have been added to the camp. Lass Lodge is built on the site of the original LeValley farmhouse, demolished in the late 1990s.
In 1975 the Na Tsi Hi lodge opened the Battle of Monmouth Historic Trail. The eleven mile trail, which begins at Quail Hill, takes hikers to many important points in western Monmouth county relating to the important 1778 Revolutionary War battle, and finally ends in historic Freehold, the county seat of Monmouth. Scout units hike the trail Saturdays between Labor Day and Memorial Day.
Quail Hill was the first camp in the Northeast Region to offer a Cub Scout day camp, and it continues to do so with a summer program featuring both day and resident (overnight) camping for Cubs and Webelos. Throughout the remainder of the year, thousands of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts participate in Klondike derbies, camporees, Order of the Arrow events, unit campouts, courts of honor, campfires, picnics, and training courses at Quail Hill.
In 2012, Quail Hill Scout Reservation lost over 1,000 trees and its facilities were significantly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. In response, Scout Troops in the Council aided with a mass cleanup.
In 1924, The Monmouth County BSA was presented a donation of $5000 by Mrs. George Housman. Camp Burton was a Monmouth Council summer campsite located in Ocean County on the south side of the Metedeeonk river. When the Allaire campground became available, Camp Burton property was dissolved. The name Camp Burton was formed in memory of Mrs. Housman's son, George Burton. [3] In 1930, Camp Burton was sold to Van Ness Corp.
In 1929, the Monmouth Council BSA rented "Camp Burton at Allaire". This campground was on the property of the current Allaire state park village. The council had a 21-year lease for $1 a year from Arthur Brisbane. However, following his death the lease was not renewed and the campground reverted to estate.
| Na Tsi Hi Lodge | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Founded | 1951 | ||
| Membership | 864 | ||
| Lodge Chief | Cole Philipczak | ||
| Lodge Adviser | Chris Harris | ||
| Staff Adviser | Nate Clark | ||
| Website http://www.natsihi.org | |||
The Order of the Arrow is represented by the Na Tsi Hi Lodge, one of eleven lodges in Section E17. It supports the Scouting programs of the Monmouth Council through leadership, camping, and service. The history of the lodge can be found here: http://www.natsihi.org/heritage/lodge-history/.
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 Ohio has a long history, from the 1908 to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
Scouting in Massachusetts includes both Girl Scout 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.
Scouting in New Jersey 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 second Boy Scouts of America National Headquarters was in North Brunswick, although it was referred to in BSA publications as being in neighboring New Brunswick.
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.
Scouting in Pennsylvania has a long and rich tradition, from 1908 to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
The Greater St. Louis Area Council (GSLAC) of the Boy Scouts of America was formed in 1911 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri. The council serves Scouts in the St. Louis Metro area, southeast Missouri, and southern and central Illinois.
The headquarters of the Connecticut Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America is located in East Hartford, Connecticut. The present council was formed as the result of the merger between the Indian Trails Council of Norwich, Connecticut and Long Rivers Council of Hartford, Connecticut. Now it is the largest council in the state with a youth membership of over 17,000 and a volunteer base of nearly 10,000 adults, serving for over half of the state.
Scouting in Maine dates back to the creation of the Katahdin Area Council in 1920 and has continued prominently to the present day.
Minsi Trails Council is a council of the Boy Scouts of America that serves Scouts of eastern Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and Pocono regions as well as parts of western New Jersey. The council serves five counties in Pennsylvania: Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe, Carbon, Luzerne, and Warren county in New Jersey.
Musser Scout Reservation is a Boy Scouts of America camp located along the Unami Creek on over 1,400 acres (6 km2) of Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania. The Reservation is made up of three distinct camps: Camp Delmont, Camp Hart, and Camp Garrison. The reservation is part of the largest contiguous forest in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The camp is owned by the Cradle of Liberty Council.
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.
The National Capital Area Council (NCAC) is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America within the Northeast Region that serves the Washington metropolitan area, including Washington, D.C., portions of Maryland and Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The council offers extensive training, and administrative support to units. It is rated as a "Class 100" council by the National Council, which denotes that the NCAC is among the very largest in the country. Chartered in 1911, it is also one of the oldest. The council is divided into 21 districts serving ten counties in Northern Virginia, six counties in Maryland, the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands, and BSA units throughout the Americas. The council has a 5 to 2 ratio of youth members to adult leaders, which is among the highest of all the councils. The youth retention rate is currently 70% which was affected by COVID-19.
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.
The Heart of New England Council is a Boy Scouts of America council serving Cub Scout packs, Scouts BSA troops, Exploring posts and Venturing crews in central Massachusetts with administrative support, program resources, activities, events, and camping properties.
The Lincoln Heritage Council (LHC) is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America serving 64 counties in four states: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee.
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.
Istrouma Area Council serves Scouts in both Louisiana and Mississippi, primarily in the Greater Baton Rouge Area and Florida Parishes. Specifically, the council includes Scouts from the following parishes: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. James, St. Tammany, Washington, and Tangipahoa. Wilkinson County is the sole Mississippi county in the council.
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.
The Crossroads of the West Council is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America that serves the Scouts in all of Utah, Bear Lake and Franklin counties in southeastern Idaho, and Uinta, Sweetwater, Sublette, and a portion of Lincoln counties in southwestern Wyoming.
Dr. Thomas Darlington, former Commissioner of Health and Grand Sachem of Tammany Hall, is 75 years old today. He is passing the anniversary in quiet and seclusion at the wilderness camp he gave to his children for a playground years ago, near Forestburg, in Sullivan County, N.Y.
