Scouting in Montana 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.

Early history (1910-1950)

The first,

Boy Scout A Scout, Boy Scout, Girl Scout or, in some countries, a Pathfinder is a participant in the Scout Movement, usually aged 10–18 years, who engage in learning scoutcraft and outdoor and other special interest activities. Some Scout organizatio ...

troop in

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

was organized in

Butte In geomorphology, a butte ( ) is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; buttes are smaller landforms than mesas, plateaus, and table (landform), tablelands. The word ''butte'' comes from the French l ...

in September of 1910 by Elizabeth Groenveld. In February 1917 ''Troop 1'' in Butte held an event for the public which included music, as well as "exhibition drills, first aid work, and signalling, closing with the presentation of a play." Also in 1917, this same troop made the news because their activities inspired the creation of a new troop in nearby Centerville, "Twenty-two boys made the trip Divide and back">Divide,_Montana.html" ;"title=" hike from Butte to Divide, Montana">Divide and back which was filled with tests for the boys... En route one of the boys suffered from a strained back. A litter was built for him and he was carried to the destination. This was a test in first-aid work... Another hike will be held when the weather permits. The boys were forced to trudge through deep snow on their Washington birthday trip." By 1918, unofficial Wolf Cub packs appeared in Butte. In 1920, the Deer Lodge County Council">Cub Scout">Wolf Cub packs appeared in Butte. In 1920, the Deer Lodge County Council (#314) was formed, changing its name in 1924 to the Deer Lodge Area Council (#314). In 1926 the Deer Lodge Area Council changed its name to the Deer Lodge, Granite, and Powell Council (#314). In 1928, the Deer Lodge, Granite, and Powell Council merged into the Silver Bow Council (#313). In 1919, the Helena Council (#316) was formed, changing its name in 1925 to the Lewis and Clark Area Council (#316) and, changing its name again in 1931 to the Elkhorn Area Council (#316). The Elkhorn Area Council closed that same year. In 1922, the Helena Council (#317) was formed, changing its name in 1923 to the Glacier Park Area Council (#317). The Glacier Park Area Council closed in 1927. In 1920, the Park County Council (#319) was formed, changing its name in 1923 to the Park and Sweetgrass Counties Council (#319) and, changing its name again in 1924 to the Yellowstone Council (#319). The Yellowstone Council closed in 1926. In 1920, the Custer County Council (#321) was formed, changing its name in 1924 to the Powder River Area Council (#321) and, closing in 1926. In 1918, the Butte City Council (#313) was formed, changing its name in 1927 to the Silver Bow Council (#313). In 1944, Silver Bow changed its name to the Vigilante Council (#313). In 1915, the Great Falls Council (#315) was formed, changing its name in 1925 to the Great Falls Area Council (#315). In 1929, the Great Falls Area Council changed its name to the North Central Montana Council (#315). In 1922, the Lewiston Council (#318) was formed, changing its name in 1922 to the Central Montana Council (#318). The Central Montana Council closed in 1924. In 1928, the Yellowstone Valley Council (#318) was formed. In 1920, the Missoula Council (#320) was formed, changing its name in 1922 to the Missoula County Council (#320). In 1926 the Missoula County Council changed its name to the Western Montana Council (#320).

Recent history (1950-1990)

In 1973, the Vigilante Area, Western Montana, Yellowstone Valley and North Central Montana councils all merged to make the Montana Council (#315).

Boy Scouts of America in Montana today

There are two Boy Scouts of America (BSA) local councils in Montana. Most of Montana lies within the Montana Council, except for Daniels and Sheridan counties, which are part of the Northern Lights Council.

Montana Council

History

The Montana Council formed in 1973 from the merger of four councils: the Vigilante Area Council, Western Montana Council, Yellowstone Valley Council and the North Central Montana Council.

Camps

The largest of its council camps is K-M Scout Ranch (pronounced K bar M), located north of Lewistown near the old mining town of Kendall.

Northern Lights Council

As of 2006, ''Northern Lights Council'' serves all of

North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

, and parts of

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

, northwest

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

and northeast Montana.

Girl Scouting in Montana

Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming

Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming is the only council serving both Montana and Wyoming. It was formed on May 1, 2008, by the merger of Girl Scouts of Big Sky Council, Girl Scouts Treasure Trails Council, and Girl Scout Council of Wyoming. ;Headquarters:

Billings, Montana Billings is the most populous Lists of populated places in the United States, city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, i ...

;Website: ;Service Centers *

Great Falls, Montana Great Falls is the List of cities and towns in Montana, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, Cascade County. The population was 60,442 according to the 2020 United States census, 2 ...

Casper, Wyoming Casper is a city in and the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. Casper is the List of municipalities in Wyoming, second-most populous city in the state after Cheyenne, Wyoming, Cheyenne, with the population at 59,038 as of th ...

;Camps *Camp Castle Rock is just south of Butte, Montana *Camp Sacajawea is near Casper, Wyoming *Timbercrest Camp is on the west fork of Rock Creek in the

Beartooth Mountains The Beartooth Mountains are located in south central Montana and northwest Wyoming, U.S. and are part of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, within Custer, Gallatin and Shoshone National Forests. The Beartooths are the location of Granite Peak ...

near

Red Lodge, Montana Red Lodge is a city and county seat of Carbon County, Montana, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,257. History On September 17, 1851, the United States government signed a treaty with the Crow Nation, con ...

*Camp Open Door is near Jackson, Wyoming *Camp Care Free is near Cheyenne, Wyoming

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Scouting In Montana Youth organizations based in Montana

Western Region (Boy Scouts of America)