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
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
, 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.
The
Boy Scouts of America (BSA) provides Scouting for boys and girls in all programs. Texas is home to the BSA national headquarters, in
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in Dallas County, it is also an inner ring suburb of Dallas. The city of Irving is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. According to a 2019 estimate from the United States Census Bureau, ...
. The Boy Scouts of America in Texas are organized into 20 local councils.
Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized a ...
, organized into eight local councils, only serves girls.
History
Scouting in Texas unofficially dates to the publication of British lieutenant general
Robert Baden-Powell's popular book, ''
Scouting for Boys
''Scouting for Boys: A handbook for instruction in good citizenship'' is a book on Boy Scout training, published in various editions since 1908. Early editions were written and illustrated by Robert Baden-Powell with later editions being extensi ...
'', in 1908. Even before a national organization had been started, groups of boys began Scout activities in troops and small groups in 1908, 1909, and 1910. The claims of several troops to be the first organized in Texas, whether before or after the incorporation of the
Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910, are difficult to verify. BSA archives do show that the thirty-seventh registered scoutmaster in the country was a Texan, Rev. George W. Sheafor, of
Comanche
The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...
, in 1910.
In February 1910, just days after the Boys Scouts of America was organized, Boy Scout Troop 114 was established in
Floresville, Texas
Floresville is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population was at 7,203 at the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Wilson County. The city is also part of the San Antonio Metropolitan S ...
by Professor W.H. Butler. A reference to the Floresville Boy Scout Troop can be found in the edition of April 2, 1911 of ''The Galveston Daily News'' when they published a picture of the Floresville troop. An article in the Victoria, ''Weekly Advocate'' (probably January 10, 1911 edition) refers to the Floresville Boy Scout troop as the second oldest in Texas. A short break in the troop's charter occurred in 1974.
Austin, TX Troop 5 was formed in 1911 and has been in continuous operation since that time. In 2011, Austin Troop 5 celebrated its 100th anniversary centennial at Camp Mabry. Troop 5 is believed to be the oldest continuously chartered scout troop in Texas.
In 1913 Troop 1 was established in
Wichita Falls, Texas. Troop 1 in Wichita Falls has been continuously chartered since 1916.
In 1913 Troop 7 was established in
Grapevine, Texas. The troop has been chartered every year since starting except 1979.
An African American troop was formed in Port Arthur as early as 1916. The BSA report to Congress for 1930 named Dallas as one of the southern cities in which Scouting was growing in the black community. Hispanic boys were also active in Scouting, often in units with non-Hispanic boys. Jewish youth had been active in Scouting in San Antonio for many years before a synagogue sponsored a troop for them in 1924.
By 1918, unofficial
Wolf Cub packs appeared in Paris, Texas.
The BSA national office was moved to Irving in 1979.
The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council traces its roots back to the 1920s when Frances Mann Law and Corrinne Fonde organized a Girl Scout Council in
Houston. The council office was in a three roomed cottage.
Most
Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized a ...
units were originally
segregated by
race according to state and local laws and customs. The first troop for
Mexican Americans
Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexica ...
was formed in Houston in 1922. In 1936, the first African American Girl Scout troop west of the Mississippi was formed in Texas.
The Girls Scouts' Camp Texlake was dedicated in 1949.
Boy Scouts of America in Texas
Texas is home to the
BSA National Headquarters in
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in Dallas County, it is also an inner ring suburb of Dallas. The city of Irving is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. According to a 2019 estimate from the United States Census Bureau, ...
. The
National Scouting Museum
The National Scouting Museum is the official museum of the Boy Scouts of America.
Background
The museum was first opened in 1959 in North Brunswick, New Jersey as the Johnston Memorial Museum. With the relocation of the Boy Scouts of America Nati ...
was located in Irving from October 2002 until September 2017 when it was moved to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico.
There are twenty
Boy Scouts of America local councils in Texas. All of Texas lies within the
Southern Region, except for El Paso, Hudspeth and Parmer Counties, which are part of
Western Region.
Alamo Area Council
The Alamo Area Council, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, serves a 13 county area in Texas. The counties served by the Alamo Area BSA include Bexar, Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, La Salle, McMullen, Medina, and Wilson.
Organization
:Districts
* Fiesta District
* River District
* Coyote District
* Roadrunner District
* Oak Tree District
* Mesquite District
* Wildflower District (meta-district includes Scoutreach)
* Prickly Pear District (meta-district includes Exploring)
* Mission District (made up of units run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was dissolved at the end of 2019 when the Church dissolved all its scouting units)
The council is composed of:
:Old Districts
* Texas Hills District
* Rough Rider District
* Diamondback District
* Summit District
* Memorial District
* Longhorn District
* Cimarron District
* Two Rivers District
* Armadillo District
* Victory District
* Broken Arrow District
* Cherokee District
* Eagle District
* El Dorado District
* Four Rivers District
* Galaxy District
* Keystone District
* Mission Tejas District
* Phoenix District
* Sioux District
* Aztec District
* Tomahawk District
* Two Feathers District
These thirteen no longer have their old names, except Galaxy.
Camps
Alamo Area Council operates three camps: McGimsey Scout Park, where Cub Scout Day Camp is held during the summer, as well as other events throughout the year, Bear Creek Scout Reservation, where Boy Scout resident camp and Webelos resident camp are held during the summer, and the newest camp, the Mays Family Scout Ranch located south of downtown San Antonio.
Order of the Arrow
* Aina Topa Hutsi #60
Bay Area Council
Organization
* Coastal District
* Cradle of Texas District
* Thunderbird District
* Northern Star District
Camps
* Camp Karankawa
* Sea Star Base Galveston
Order of the Arrow
* Wihinipa Hinsa Lodge
Buffalo Trail Council
The Buffalo Trail Council comprises five Districts serving West Texas.
Organization
* Chaparral District - Martin and Midland counties
* Comanche Trails District - Andrews, Ector, Loving, Ward, and Winkler counties
* Big Bend District - Brewster, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, and Reeves counties
* Lone Star District - Borden, Glasscock, Howard, Mitchell, Scurry and Sterling counties
* Scoutreach District
Camps
* Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch
Caddo Area Council
Headquartered in
Texarkana, Texas, the Caddo Area Council (#584) serves Scouts in Northeast Texas and
Arkansas.
The Longhorn District serves Bowie and Cass counties in Northeast Texas.
Capitol Area Council
The Capitol Area Council serves Scouts and Scouting volunteers in 15 Central Texas counties surrounding Austin. The council currently (when?) serves 24,000 young people, and is led by the current Scout Executive, Jon Yates.
Organization
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Camps
* Lost Pines Scout Reservation - Bastrop County, Texas
* Griffith League Scout Ranch - Bastrop County, Texas
* Camp Alma McHenry - near Giddings, Texas
* Camp Green Dickson - near Gonzales, Texas
* Smilin V -- Liberty Hill (Williamson County), Texas
* Roy D. Rivers Wilderness Camp - Near Smithville, Texas
Order of the Arrow
* Tonkawa #99
First chartered by the National Council on January 20, 1937, by Joe Lindsay Jr. and Joe Lindsay Sr., Tonkawa Lodge #99 started as Tejas Lodge but was later changed to Tonkawa in 1938 with lodge 72 already having the name. Tonkawa Lodge #99 was proudly had one of its members become the Order of the Arrow National Chief in 2011, Jonathan "Bunker" Hillis. Currently Tonkawa Lodge #99 has 12 Chapters that are aligned and named with the above-mentioned Districts.
Circle Ten Council
Lamar County, Texas
The Circle Ten Council serves BSA units in North Texas and a portion of
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. Its service area encompasses all or parts of
Collin,
Dallas,
Ellis
Ellis is a surname of Welsh and English origin. Retrieved 21 January 2014 An independent French origin of the surname is said to derive from the phrase fleur-de-lis.
Surname
A
*Abe Ellis (Stargate), a fictional character in the TV series '' ...
,
Fannin,
Grayson
Grayson may refer to:
Places Canada
* Grayson, Saskatchewan
* Rural Municipality of Grayson No. 184, Saskatchewan
United States
* Grayson, California
* Grayson, Georgia
** Grayson High School
* Grayson, Kentucky
* Grayson, Louisiana
* Gra ...
,
Henderson,
Hunt,
Kaufman, Lamar,
Navarro,
Rains Rains may refer to:
Surname
*Rains (surname)
Places
* Rains, South Carolina, an unincorporated community in Marion County, South Carolina
* Rains County, Texas, a county in East Texas
Entertainment
* ''The Rains'', a 2016 zombie novel by Gregg Hu ...
,
Rockwall and
Van Zandt Van Zandt, van Zandt or Vanzandt, is a surname of Dutch language, Dutch origin.
Van Zandt or its variants may refer to:
People
*Van Zandt Williams (1916–1966), President of the Optical Society of America and Director of the American Institute ...
Counties in Texas as well as
Bryan County in Oklahoma. Founded in 1913 and based in
Dallas, approximately 50,000 youth and 15,000 adults participate in Scouting through the council each year.
The council has four camps - Camp Wisdom, Camp James Ray, Clements Scout Ranch / Camp Trevor Rees-Jones and Camp Constantin / Jack D. Furst Aquatics Base. The
Order of the Arrow is represented by Mikanakawa Lodge.
Conquistador Council
The Conquistador Council (No. 413), with its office in
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell () is a city in, and the County seat, seat of, Chaves County, New Mexico, Chaves County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Chaves County forms the entirety of the List of micropolitan areas in New Mexico, Roswell micropolitan area. As of ...
, primarily oversees BSA units in southeast New Mexico. However,
Parmer County, Texas is included in the council territory because of its proximity to
Clovis, New Mexico. There are no units chartered in Parmer County. The area is part of El Llano Grande District. The Kwahadi Lodge #78 of the Order of the Arrow serves local Arrowmen.
East Texas Area Council
The East Texas Area Council was formed in 1930 through the merger of the
Davey Crockett Council
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 stat ...
, the
Pine Tree Area Council, and the
Tejas Council. It serves 17 counties in Texas.
Organization
* Five Rivers District
* Golden Eagle District
* Tomahawk District
* Wo Ha Li District
Camps
* George W. Pirtle Scout Reservation (Camp Pirtle)
Order of the Arrow
* Tejas Lodge 72
Golden Spread Council
The Golden Spread Council (#562) serves Scouts in the Panhandles of
Texas and
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. Its service area includes all or part of 23 counties in Texas and three counties in Oklahoma.
Organization
* Adobe Walls District
* Golden Eagle District
* Lone Wolf District
* Quanah Parker District
Camps
* Camp Don Harrington
* Camp M.K. Brown
Order of the Arrow
* Nischa Achowalogen
Longhorn Council
The Longhorn Council serves Scouts in a 23 county area of North Texas and Central Texas. Its headquarters is in
Hurst (near
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
), with an additional service center in
Waco.
Organization
The council is organized into 20 districts:
* Aguila District, serving Soccer and Scouting units in Fort Worth
* , serving
Young,
Hood,
Jack, and
Palo Pinto Counties, and most of
Parker County (except for
Azle and
Azle ISD
Azle Independent School District is a public school district based in Azle, Texas, United States. The district covers northwestern Tarrant County, northeastern Parker County, and a small portion of southern Wise County. In addition to Azle, ...
).
* , serving
Falls
Falls may refer to:
Places
* Waterfalls or rapids
* Falls, North Carolina, USA
* Falls, West Virginia, USA
Other uses
* The ropes or wires, fed through davits, that are used to secure and lower a ship's lifeboats.
* Falls (surname)
* The sepa ...
,
Milam, and
Robertson Counties, and most of
Bell County (except
Killeen ISD
Killeen Independent School District is a public school district based in Killeen, Texas (USA).
In addition to Killeen, the district serves the cities of Harker Heights and Nolanville as well as all students residing at Fort Hood. The distri ...
and
Florence ISD)
* Comanche Trails District, serving
Freestone,
Limestone, and
Leon Counties
*
*
* , serving
McLennan County
*
* , serving
Coryell County
Coryell County ( ) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 83,093. The county seat is Gatesville. The county is named for James Coryell, a frontiersman and Texas Range ...
and
Killeen ISD
Killeen Independent School District is a public school district based in Killeen, Texas (USA).
In addition to Killeen, the district serves the cities of Harker Heights and Nolanville as well as all students residing at Fort Hood. The distri ...
and
Florence ISD in
Bell County
*
* Orion District
*
* Santa Fe District
*
*
* Three Rivers District, serving
Bosque
A bosque ( ) is a type of gallery forest habitat found along the riparian flood plains of stream and river banks in the southwestern United States. It derives its name from the Spanish word for 'woodlands'.
Setting
In the predominantly ar ...
,
Hamilton, and
Hill Counties
* , serving
Tarrant County
*
* Woodbine District
Camps
*
Worth Ranch
Worth Ranch, commonly abbreviated to WR, is a ranch located in Palo Pinto, Texas (Roughly 60 miles west of Fort Worth
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is t ...
(Palo Pinto, Texas)
* Sid Richardson Scout Ranch (Bridgeport, Texas)
* Camp Tahuaya (Belton, Texas)
* Hills and Hollows (Denton, Texas)
* Camp Shuler (Lake Whitney, Texas)
Order of the Arrow
* Netopalis Sipo Schipinahck Lodge #209
NeTseO Trails Council
NeTseO Trails Council serves Scouts in northeastern Texas (neT) and southeastern Oklahoma (seO) and has the Council Office in Paris, Texas on the west side of
Loop 286. Council merged with Circle Ten 3/1/2017.
Organization
* Two Rivers District
* Northern Star District
* White Oak District
Camps
* Camp Frederick H. Dierks, Wright City, Oklahoma (sold 2017)
* Lynwood Hogue Scout Camp a.k.a. "Hogue's Landing", Paris, TX
Order of the Arrow
* Loquanne Allangwh Lodge #428
Northwest Texas Council
The Northwest Texas Council (#587) was founded in 1920. Based in Wichita Falls, the Northwest Texas Council serves almost 100 units in 12 Texas counties (Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cottle, Foard, Hardeman, King, Knox, Montague, Throckmorton, Wichita, and Wilbarger).
Organization
The Northwest Texas Council has two districts:
* Green Belt District
* Red River District
Camps
* Camp Perkins - a gift in 1941 from Mr. & Mrs. J. J. Perkins, is the primary camp for the council. It is about located along the Red River.
Order of the Arrow
* Wichita Lodge 35
Rio Grande Council
The Rio Grande Council (#775) was formed in 1927 as the Lower Rio Grande Valley Council (#775). It changed its name in 1947 to the current name.
It covers 5 counties, including Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, Starr & Zapata and it serves a membership of approximately, 4,000 youth and 1,500 adult leaders in the southernmost parts of Texas.
Organization
The Rio Grande Council has four districts:
* Arrowhead District
* Tip-O-Tex District
* Arroyo District
* Rio Bravo District
Camps
* Laguna Station High Adventure Sea Base
is located on
South Padre Island. Campers can gain
SCUBA
Scuba may refer to:
* Scuba diving
** Scuba set, the equipment used for scuba (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diving
* Scuba, an in-memory database developed by Facebook
* Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array Two instruments ...
certification.
* Camp Perry was established in 1927 and has continuously operated as a Boy Scout Camp longer than any other such camp in Texas. Situated on the banks of the Arroyo Colorado, it covers over . There are twelve campsites at Camp Perry.
Order of the Arrow
* Wewanoma Lodge
Sam Houston Area Council
The Sam Houston Area Council serves youth in 16 counties in southeast Texas. The council headquarters is in Houston.
Organization
Central Division
*
*
*
*
East Division
*
*
*
*
Frontier Division
*
*
*
*
North Division
*
*
*
*
*
South Division
*
*
*
*
*
West Division
*
*
*
*
Learning for Life Division
*
*
*
*
Camps
* Camp Strake was a Boy Scout Camp in Southern
Montgomery County, Texas off of
I-45. The camp closed in December 2014. Camp Strake is moving to a rural site in the Sam Houston National Forest, between New Waverly and Coldspring near the community of Evergreen in order to create a 21st-century Scouting experience for Scouts and their leaders.
* El Rancho Cima Scout Reservation, a 2,680 acre mountain ranch purchased in 1953. It is located on the
Blanco River near
Wimberley, Texas in the Devil's Backbone of the
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a geographic region of Central and South Texas, forming the southeast part of the Edwards Plateau. Given its location, climate, terrain, and vegetation, the Hill Country can be considered the border between the Ameri ...
. El Rancho Cima contains three main areas. -
** Due to devastating flooding at El Rancho Cima's River Camp on Memorial Day 2015, El Rancho Cima was closed as a scout camp. Hays County purchased a portion of the land from SHAC in November 2019.
* Camp Brosig is located seven miles north of
Sealy, Texas. This camp is used primarily for weekend camping at district/council activities.
* Bovay Scout Ranch is located off SH 6, just south of
Navasota, Texas
Navasota is a city in Grimes County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,643 at the 2020 census. In 2005, the Texas Legislature designated Navasota as the "Blues Capital of Texas" in honor of the late Mance Lipscomb, a Navasota native an ...
. Bovay Scout Ranch contains the McNair Cub Adventure Camp and the Tellepsen Scout Camp.
OA Lodges
* Colonneh Lodge #137
International exchanges
Houston Scouts have an international relationship with
Scouts in
Chiba
Chiba may refer to:
Places China
* (), town in Jianli County, Jingzhou, Hubei
Japan
* Chiba (city), capital of Chiba Prefecture
** Chiba Station, a train station
* Chiba Prefecture, a sub-national jurisdiction in the Greater Tokyo Area on ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
South Plains Council
The South Plains Council (#694) serves the area around Lubbock.
South Texas Council
The South Texas Council of
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi (; Ecclesiastical Latin: "'' Body of Christ"'') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patrici ...
, was renamed from the ''Gulf Coast Council'' in 2003.
Organization
* Aztec District
* Brush Country District
* Coastal Plains District
* LaSalle District
* Pawnee District
* Venado District
Camps
* Camp Karankawa
* Camp Huisache
Order of the Arrow
* Karankawa Lodge 307
Texas Southwest Council
The Texas Southwest Council serves Scouts in Southwest Central Texas through the jurisdiction of two districts and 26 Boy Scout troops.
Organization
* Concho Valley District
* Amistad District
Camps
* Camp Sol Mayer
* Camp Fawcett
* Baden Powell Park
Order of the Arrow
*Wahinkto Lodge 199
2022 Lodge Chief-Madison Schwab
Texas Trails Council
The Texas Trails Council was formed in 2003 by the consolidation of the Chisholm Trail Council (all of Taylor, Shackelford, Haskell, Jones, Callahan, and Coleman counties, and part of Runnels County) and the Comanche Trail Council (Brown, Comanche, Erath, Mills, San Saba, and Lampasas counties).
Organization
* Old Comanche Trails District (
Stephens
Stephens is a surname. It is a patronymic and is recorded in England from 1086.
Notable people with the surname include:
*Alexander H. Stephens (1812–1883), Vice President of the Confederate States of America
*Alison Stephens (1970–2010), Brit ...
,
Erath,
Eastland
SS ''Eastland'' was a passenger ship based in Chicago and used for tours. On 24 July 1915, the ship rolled over onto its side while tied to a dock in the Chicago River. In total, 844 passengers and crew were killed in what was the largest loss ...
, and
Comanche
The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...
counties, along with
Moran ISD and
Cross Plains ISD)
* Pecan Valley District (
Lampasas,
San Saba,
Brown,
Mills, and
Coleman counties)
* Buffalo Mountain District (
Stonewall
Stonewall or Stone wall may refer to:
* Stone wall, a kind of masonry construction
* Stonewalling, engaging in uncooperative or delaying tactics
* Stonewall riots, a 1969 turning point for the modern LGBTQ rights movement in Greenwich Village, Ne ...
,
Fisher,
Haskell,
Jones
Jones may refer to:
People
*Jones (surname), a common Welsh and English surname
*List of people with surname Jones
*Jones (singer), a British singer-songwriter
Arts and entertainment
* Jones (''Animal Farm''), a human character in George Orwell' ...
,
Nolan, and
Taylor counties, along with
Albany ISD,
Baird ISD, Clyde ISD, and
Winters ISD)
Camps
* Camp Billy Gibbons
* Camp Tonkawa
Order of the Arrow
* Penateka Lodge
Three Rivers Council
Organization
* Big Thicket District
* Sabine District
* Spindletop District
* Trinity District
Camps
Scott Scout Ranch formerly Camp Urland
* Camp Urland Scout Reservation
Order of the Arrow
* Hasinai Lodge
Neche Lodge 36, Second Oldest in the South until 1970 when the merger of Trinity Neches and Sabine Area required a combine lodge name change to Hasinai.
Yucca Council
Yucca Council serves Scouts in Texas and New Mexico in the
El Paso area.
Organization
* Geronimo District
* Mescalero District
* Polaris District
* Sunshine District
* Wapaha District
* White Sands District
Camps
* Black Range Cavalcade
* Camp Dale Resler
Order of the Arrow
* Gila Lodge
As the Boy Scouts of America has trademarked the phrase, "Scouting," there are no other organizations in the state who may use the term in reference to its program for boys.
Girl Scouts of the USA in Texas
There are 8 Girl Scout councils in Texas.
Girl Scouts of Central Texas
Girl Scouts of Central Texas (GSCTX) serves 46 counties and includes the former councils of: Girl Scouts — Bluebonnet Council, Girl Scouts — El Camino Council, Girl Scouts — Heart of Texas Council, Girl Scouts — Lone Star Council. In 2017, the Girl Scouts of Central Texas served 17,000 girls, ages 5–17 years, and over 12,000 adult volunteers in 46 counties. The council runs two residential camps: Camp Texlake and Camp Kachina.
Camps
Camp Texlake comprises on
Lake Travis. It was assigned to the former Girl Scouts — Lone Star Council by the
Lower Colorado River Authority, and was dedicated on July 17, 1949. That summer nearly 400 girls attended camp. The dining facility overlooks Lake Travis itself. The council houses ten horses at this site as well as encouraging watersports. The camp can accommodate 335 overnight guests in a variety of situations.
Camp Kachina is on the shores of
Lake Belton
Belton Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Leon River in the Brazos River basin, 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Belton, Texas, United States. The lake extends into both Bell County and Coryell County. Belton Dam and the ...
. It covers a total of . Activities include archery, sailing, and water sports.
GSCTX serves girls with programming that is fun, high-quality, relevant, innovative, and meaningful. Program areas include STEM, Financial Literacy, Bullying Prevention, Outdoors, Travel, and many special interest troops such as Outdoor Adventure, Robotics, Harp Ensemble, and Mariners.
Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest – Southern New Mexico & West Texas
Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest brings together Girl Scouts of the Permian Basin, Girl Scouts of the Rio Grande and Girl Scouts - Zia Council. The merger on May 1, 2009, is part of the realignment of Girl Scout councils nationwide.(see
Scouting in New Mexico).
Organization
Service Centers:
Midland, TX;
Odessa, TX;
Alamogordo, NM;
Artesia, NM
Artesia is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, centered at the intersection of U.S. routes 82 and 285; the two highways serve as the city's Main Street and First Street, respectively. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,301.
Histo ...
;
Carlsbad, NM
Carlsbad ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 32,238. Carlsbad is centered at the intersection of U.S. Routes 62/180 and 285, and is the principal city o ...
;
Deming, NM;
Hobbs, NM
Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 40,508 at the 2020 census, increasing from 34,122 in 2010.
Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of L ...
;
Las Cruces, NM;
Roswell, NM;
Silver City, NM;
Camps
Camp Mitre Peak is located in the
Davis Mountains between
Alpine and
Fort Davis. There are three cabins, known as Kickapoo, Apache, and Seminole, located in Fern Canyon. There are also three tent units: Mescalero, Tonkawa, and Chippewa. These have views of Mitre Peak. The Janice Hill Mathews Amphitheater seats over 200 people and campfires are held here. The Pamela Catherine Haas Horseback Riding Arena, nicknamed Rebel Arena, gives girls the opportunity to participate in western riding and trail riding programs. The Laura Van Pelt Complex supports indoor activities. The complex consists of a pavilion and an educational building. The latter includes a kitchen and a darkroom. Alumni and supporters of the camp can join Troop Mitre.
Camps:
* Camp Pioneer in
Sunland Park, NM
Sunland Park is a city in southern Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States, on the borders of Texas and the Mexican state of Chihuahua, with Ciudad Juárez adjoining it on the south and El Paso, Texas on the east. The community of Santa Teres ...
* Camp Mitre Peak in
Fort Davis, TX
Fort Davis is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,201 at the 2010 census, up from 1,050 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jeff Davis County.
His ...
Girl Scouts - Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas
Headquarters:
North Little Rock, Arkansas
Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas
Formed by the merger of Girl Scouts Paisano Council and Girl Scouts — Tip of Texas Council in 2007.
Organization
Council Offices:
*
Corpus Christi, TX
Corpus Christi (; Ecclesiastical Latin: "''Body of Christ"'') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio ...
*
McAllen, TX
Program Centers:
*
Laredo, TX
*
Victoria, TX
Camps
* Camp Bayview is near
Bayview, TX
Bayview is a town in Cameron County, Texas, United States. The population was 383 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas.
Geography
Bayview is located ...
along the
Resaca de los Cuates. There are cabins and bungalows to accommodate campers. There is a swimming pool, amphitheater and a covered pavilion.
* Camp Green Hill is spread over almost and is located near
Mathis, TX
Mathis is a city in San Patricio County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,942 at the 2010 census.
History
In 1887, when the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad was laying tracks across San Patricio County, Thomas H. Mathis received n ...
on
Lake Corpus Christi. The site is mostly wooded. Small craft can be launched from the waterfront.
Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas
The Dallas Girl Scouts were established in December 1920 through the joint efforts of Mr. Elmer Scott and members of the Business and Professional Women's Club. In 1963, the Dallas Girl Scouts merged with the Chisholm Trail Girl Scout Council and began serving 11 counties as the Tejas Girl Scout Council. In 2007, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas was born through the merger of Cross Timbers, Red River Valley, and Tejas Councils.
GSNETX's other programs include Girl Scout Academy, Girl Scouts Direct, Girl Scout Leadership Institute, and Las Mariposas.
Council
Spanning 23,000 square miles, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas serves nearly 25,000 girls and 12,500 adults in 32 northeast Texas counties: Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Collin, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Franklin, Freestone, Grayson, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Navarro, Panola, Rains, Red River, Rockwall, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood.
Mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
Vision: To be the best organization to help girls thrive in the 21st century.
Value Proposition: Girl Scouts is the only organization that prepares every G.I.R.L. to practice a lifetime of leadership, by providing access to countless girl-led experiences, skill-building opportunities, and connections, because girls built of courage, confidence, and character make the world a better place.
Service Centers
There are a total of 8 service centers: Jo Ann Fogg (Headquarters), Collin Service Area Service Center, Denton Service Center, East Texas Service Center, Grayson Service Center, Highland Village Service Center, Paris Service Center, and Southern Sector Service Center.
Camps
* Camp Bette Perot - A resident summer camp near
Palestine, Texas
Palestine ( ) is a city in and the seat of Anderson County in the U.S. state of Texas. It was named for Palestine, Illinois, by preacher Daniel Parker, who had migrated from that town.
The city had a 2020 U.S. census population of 18,544, mak ...
where campers to live in a cabin, lodge, or platform tent. Camp activities include swimming in a sparkling pool, partaking in challenging ropes courses, and participating in Bette Perot's most notable program: their equestrian program.
* Camp Rocky Point - A resident summer camp on
Lake Texoma
Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States, the 12th largest US Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) lake, and the largest in USACE Tulsa District. Lake Texoma is formed by Denison Dam on the Red River in Bryan County, Oklahom ...
founded in 1952, with a scenic waterfront view where campers can go kayaking, canoeing, and swimming.
* STEM Center of Excellence - at Camp Whispering Cedars is located 20 minutes from downtown
Dallas, TX with several facilities accommodating STEM based activities. Campers are also able to go swimming in the pool, go hiking, and shoot arrows in archery.
* Camp Kadohadacho - 150 acre area on Lake Texoma where the campers get to pitch their own tent. Includes an on-sit bath house, fire circle, and amphitheater.
* Camp Gambill - near
Paris, Texas. Initial bit donated in 1947 by John C. Gambill. This camp offers sailing, archery, kayaking, sand volleyball, hiking, and playing a round of Goosey Golf.
Awards
* Tech Titans Technology Advocate Award Finalist- 2017
* Dallas Business Journal Real Estate Award-2017 Most Creative Financing STEM Center of Excellence
* AXIS Awards Knowledge Management Finalist GSNETX Learning Channel
Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council
Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council was founded by Mrs. F. M. Law and Miss Corinne Fonde in 1922 in Houston.
Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council serves 26 counties in Southeast Texas, including Angelina, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller, and Wharton.
Program Place and Goodykoontz Museum of Girl Scout History
The Program Place and Goodykoontz Museum of Girl Scout History opened in 2007. It is situated next to the headquarters building and is intended to function in harmony with the headquarters on the shared site. The Program Place includes a library, theater, Girl Scout shop, stage, café and a lounge for older girls, as well as a park with fire pit. The Goodykoontz Museum of Girl Scout History, in the same building, features a timeline from the start of the council in the 1920s until the present, and interactive displays. The building acquisition and renovation cost $5.6 million. The entrance canopy of the Program Place was designed and built by University of Houston graduate architecture students. The pavilion was represents a Girl Scout sash.
Camps
There are ten camps run by the council. Three of these form the Treelake Complex, a series of connected camps. Trails allow Girl Scouts to hike from Camp Misty Meadows to Camp Silver Springs via Camp Agnes Arnold.
Camp Agnes Arnold is a camp near
Conroe. Campers can be accommodated in tents,
yurts, tree houses or cabin units. The camp offers canoeing and fishing on Shadow Lake. A nature trail encircles the lake. In total, there are of hiking and cycling trails on the site. The Ann Temple Allen Lodge is air-conditioned. The Nature Center was opened on 2008-04-12. The center has over of space and includes a workroom, classroom and exhibit hall, as well as overnight accommodations for two naturalists. A glass wall makes an indoor observation deck. There is also a pillared observation deck. Wood from around the site was used to build the center. The council received the 2008 Excellence in Wood Design Award from the
Texas Forestry Association
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
(TFA) for the Nature Center. In total, there are of hiking and cycling trails on the site. The Ann Temple Allen Lodge is air-conditioned.
Camp Camwood covers in
Hockley. It is only operational during the daytime.
Camp Casa Mare is a year-round camping facility for Girl Scouts ages 8–17 years old. It is located on
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay ( ) is a bay in the western Gulf of Mexico along the upper coast of Texas. It is the seventh-largest estuary in the United States, and the largest of seven major estuaries along the Texas Gulf Coast. It is connected to the Gulf of ...
in
Seabrook, Texas and under ownership of the Girl Scouts San Jacinto Council. Camp Casa Mare was founded in 1958 and has offered
sailing programs,
aquatics, and
sporting activities, not to mention
performing arts
The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...
and academic classes.
Fencing is also offered to campers at this site.
The Galveston Boat Club (GBC) is a two-storey building on
Galveston Island. Visitors sleep on the floor on the second storey. Adult leaders can be accommodated in a separate small building. The GBC is in a residential area. Visitors primarily use the GBC to visit the island's attractions.
Camp Misty Meadows is a wooded camp located in
Conroe. The main attraction of this camp is its horse riding facilities. In 2007, there was a herd of forty horses. Visitors sleep in cabins or dormitories.
Camp Myra S. Pryor includes air-conditioned cabins and a camping area. The activity center is also air-conditioned.
Camp Robinwood is a camp in
Willis. Campers are accommodated in platform tents, cabins or dorms. Swimming and canoeing is conducted on Lake Ann, a man-made reservoir donated to the camp by a family whose daughter, a Brownie Scout named Ann Winchell, died at age nine. There is also an outdoor swimming pool.
Camp Silver Springs is a wooded camp located in Conroe.
Camp Whispering Pines is a site located in
Garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
. Swimming, canoeing and rope assisted hill climbing are all on offer at this site.
Camp Wind-A-Mere is located in
Alvin. The Tejas unit had two teepees. These were destroyed in
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike () was a powerful tropical cyclone that swept through portions of the Greater Antilles and Northern America in September 2008, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and agriculture, particularly in Cuba and Texas. Ike took a sim ...
, but will be replaced. The Caddo unit has platform tents. Pine Meadows and the Chickasaw site are camping areas. During Hurricane Ike, a great oak tree fell on the lodge and half the building was declared unsafe and unrepairable.
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas serves more than 19,000 girls and was established in 2007 from the San Antonio Area council plus a large section of the old El Camino council.
Organization
Counties served:
Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Frio, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, and Wilson from the San Antonio Area jurisdiction, Edwards, Dimmit, Kimble, Kinney, Maverick, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Zavala from El Camino Council jurisdiction, Comal, Gonzales, and Guadalupe from Lone Star Council jurisdiction, and Karnes from Tip of Texas Council, now Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas jurisdiction.
Service Centers:
* Avenida Guadalupe Girl Scout Center in
San Antonio, TX
Camps
* Camp La Jita is on the Sabinai River near
Utopia, TX. The land for it was donated in 1946 by the John F. Camp family. Campers sleep in cabins. An equestrian program is offered at this camp. ''La Jita'' means precious possession.
* Camp Mira Sol is overlooking the
Guadalupe River and is near
Waring, TX
Waring is an unincorporated community in northwestern Kendall County, Texas, United States. It lies along local roads and the Guadalupe River, northwest of the city of Boerne, the county seat of Kendall County. Its elevation is 1,345 fee ...
.
Houses:
* Del Ro Girl Scout House in Val Verde county.
* Eagle Pass Girl Scout Educational Center in Maverick county
* Kerrville Girl Scout House in Kerr county
* New Braunfels Girl Scout Hous in Comal county
* Seguin Girl Scout House in Guadalupe county
* Uvalde Girl Scout House in Uvalde county
Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains
Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains serves over 24,000 girls and 9,000 adult volunteers. It was formed by the merger in January 2008 of Girl Scouts of Caprock Council, Girl Scouts-Five Star Council, Girl Scouts Norcentex Council, and Girl Scouts Circle T Council. The first Girl Scout troop in Fort Worth was formed in 1924.
Organization
Regional Offices:
*
Abilene, TX
Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor and Jones Counties in Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 census, making it the 27th-most populous city in the state of Texas. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan stat ...
*
Amarillo, TX
*
Lubbock, TX
*
Wichita Falls, TX
*
Southlake, TX
Service Centers:
*
Plainview, TX
Plainview is a city in and the county seat of Hale County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,194.
Geography
Plainview is located at (34.191204, –101.718806) and is located on the Llano Estacado.
According t ...
Camps
* Camp Kiwanis
* Camp Rio Blanco
* Camp Timberlake
* Stevens Ranch
* Camp Mel Davis
* Camp Boothe Oaks
Scouting museums in Texas
* Fred H. Poppe Museum,
Amarillo, Texas
* Goodykoontz Museum of Girl Scout History,
Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
*
National Scouting Museum
The National Scouting Museum is the official museum of the Boy Scouts of America.
Background
The museum was first opened in 1959 in North Brunswick, New Jersey as the Johnston Memorial Museum. With the relocation of the Boy Scouts of America Nati ...
,
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in Dallas County, it is also an inner ring suburb of Dallas. The city of Irving is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. According to a 2019 estimate from the United States Census Bureau, ...
* Worth Ranch Museum,
Palo Pinto, Texas
* Harbin Scouting Museum at Camp Wisdom,
Dallas, Texas
Further reading
*
*
See also
*
Alfred Michael "Chief" Venne
Alfred Michael Venne (1879–1971) was an Ojibwa (Chippewa) Native American. He was educated at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, Pennsylvania. He later became an educator, athletic manager and coach, administrator and mentor to countless yo ...
*
Asociación de Scouts de México, A.C.
*
Roy Williams (Scouting)
External links
*
*
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scouting In Texas
Texas
Youth organizations based in Texas
Southern Region (Boy Scouts of America)