Scouting in Tennessee has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment.

Early history (1910–1950)

The boy scouts were chartered in Tennessee in 1910. Until 1974, some Tennessee councils of the Boy Scouts of America were racially segregated. (The Old Hickory council did not integrate until 1974.) Colored Troops, as they were officially known, were given little support from some Districts and Councils. Some Scouting executives and leaders believed that Colored Scouts and Leaders would be less able to live up to the ideals of the Boy Scouts. In 1917 the first girl scout troops in Nashville and elsewhere in Tennessee began meeting. In 1922 Knox County received a charter. In 1926 the Nashville Girl Scout Council was chartered. Most

Girl Scouts of the USA Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, a year after she ...

units were originally segregated by race according to state and local laws and customs. In 1924, Josephine Groves then working at a shelter for African-American mothers and families in need in Nashville heard about Girl Scouting and attended a training course for leaders. She brought scouting back to the girls at the shelter; however, none of this was official since both she and they were African-American. She married, becoming Josephine Groves Holloway, and left her job at the shelter but continue to encourage scouting. In 1933 she requested recognition for her troop from the local council; it was refused until 1942 when permission for the first official African-American Girl Scout troop in Tennessee was given. She also help fully desegregate the Cumberland Valley council in 1962.

Boy Scouts of America in Tennessee today

There are seven

Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...

(BSA) local councils in

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

Cherokee Area Council

The Cherokee Area Council serves Scouts in

and

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, with the council office located in

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...

and The council is divided into four districts. Active from 1914, programs offered include: Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Learning for Life. The council's Skymont Scout Reservation provides year-round and summer camping opportunities on the

Cumberland Plateau The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, and portions of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia. The terms " Al ...

Council camp

Skymont Scout Reservation, which consists of over on the edge of the Cumberland Mountains Plateau, hosts Scouts BSA summer camps, Cub Scout family camps and high adventure activities throughout the summer and other camps during the year. It is also home of the Talidandaganu' Lodge of the Order of the Arrow.

Chickasaw Council

The Chickasaw Council serves Scouts in the

Memphis metropolitan area The Memphis–Clarksdale–Forrest City Combined Statistical Area, TN–MS–AR (CSA) is the commercial and cultural hub of the Mid-South or Ark-Miss-Tenn. The census-defined combined statistical area covers eleven counties in three states, Tenne ...

, including all of Shelby County (Tennessee) and Crittenden County (Arkansas), as well as fifteen counties in the

Mississippi Delta The Mississippi Delta, also known as the Yazoo–Mississippi Delta, or simply the Delta, is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi (and portions of Arkansas and Louisiana) that lies between the Mississippi and Yazo ...

, including districts that were merged from the Delta Area Council in 1993.

Council camps

Kia Kima Scout Reservation, near

Hardy, Arkansas Hardy is the 2nd oldest city in Sharp and Fulton counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The population was 770 in 2024. Geography Hardy is located at (36.320553, -91.480645). The Spring River, which begins in Mammoth Spring, flows throu ...

on the

South Fork Spring River The South Fork Spring River (commonly South Fork of the Spring River or simply South Fork River) is a tributary of the Spring River, roughly long, in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas in the United States. The river flows through the Sale ...

, was founded in 1916 by Memphis philanthropist

Bolton Smith Bolton Smith (July 25, 1861 – March 27, 1935) was an American lawyer who was an early pioneer in the U.S. Scouting movement. Personal life Born in 1861 in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Francis Smith and Sarah Smith, received his early education ...

. The reservation, which hosts Chickasaw Council summer camps, is split into three properties: Camp Osage, Camp Cherokee and the Ozark Venture Base. The original Kia Kima facilities (pre-1963) have been restored and maintained as Old Kia Kima by a separate non-profit group. Camp Currier, Eudora, Mississippi, near Memphis, was founded in 1925 to host weekend camping and training events throughout the year. (The more remote Kia Kima operated only during the summer for most of its history.)

Great Smoky Mountain Council

The Great Smoky Mountain Council serves 21 East Tennessee counties and is headquartered in

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

Organization

The council is divided in to 6 districts. * Cades Cove District * Cataloochee District * Eagle Creek District * Mount Cammerer District * Mount Le Conte District * Tremont District (STEM Scouts)

Council camps

The council operates two camps, Camp Buck Toms and Camp Pellissippi. Camp Buck Toms is the primary camp of the council and is located in

Rockwood, Tennessee Rockwood is a city in Roane County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 5,562 at the time of the 2010 census. It is included in the Harriman, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area. Geography Rockwood is located at (35.869147, -84.6 ...

on the shores of

Watts Bar Lake Watts Bar Lake is a reservoir on the Tennessee River created by Watts Bar Dam as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority system. Geography Located in the U.S. state of Tennessee about midway between the cities of Chattanooga and Knoxville, the ...

. Camp Buck Toms operates as the council's summer camp property. Camp Pellissippi is located in

Andersonville, Tennessee Andersonville is an unincorporated community in Anderson County, Tennessee. Beginning with the 2010 census, it is treated as a census-designated place (CDP). The CDP had a population of 508 in 2020. Andersonville is located on Tennessee State Ro ...

Norris Lake Norris Lake, also known as Norris Reservoir, is a reservoir in Tennessee, US. The lake was created by the Norris Dam at the Cove Creek Site on the Clinch River in 1936 by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for flood control, water storage, an ...

, and formerly served as the council's summer camp until 1977.

Middle Tennessee Council

The Middle Tennessee Council serves 37 Middle Tennessee counties, and is headquartered in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

Sequoyah Council

The Sequoyah Council serves Scouts in Northeast Tennessee and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

Organization

* Breaks District * Buffalo Mountain District * Nolachuckey District * Overmountain District * Wilderness Road District

Council camp

Camp Davy Crockett
, near

Rogersville, Tennessee Rogersville is a town in and the county seat of Hawkins County, Tennessee, United States. It was settled in 1775 by the grandparents of Davy Crockett. It is named for its founder, Joseph Rogers (pioneer), Joseph Rogers. Tennessee's second oldest ...

, was founded in 1972.

Lincoln Heritage Council

The Four Rivers District of the Louisville, Kentucky-based Lincoln Heritage Council includes BSA units in

South Fulton, Tennessee South Fulton is a city in Obion County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,245 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Union City, TN– KY Micropolitan Statistical Area. Geography South Fulton is located at (36.496716, -88.87 ...

, located on the state border across from

Fulton, Kentucky Fulton is a home rule-class city in Fulton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,357 at the 2020 census, down from 2,445 at the 2010 census. It was once known as the "Banana Capital of the World", because 70% of imported ban ...

West Tennessee Area Council

Headquartered in

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

, the

West Tennessee West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that roughly comprises the western quarter of the state. The region includes 21 counties between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, delineated by state law. Its geography consists ...

Area Council (WTAC) serves Scouts in all Tennessee counties west of the Tennessee River except for Shelby County (Chickasaw Council). * Western District * Central District *

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is a long river located in the Southern United States, southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. Flowing through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, it begins at the confluence of Fren ...

District

Council camp

Camp Mack Morris in

Camden, Tennessee Camden is a city in and the county seat of Benton County, Tennessee. The population was 3,674 at the 2020 census. History Native Americans were living in the Camden area as early as the Archaic period (8000-1000 BC). A significant archaeologica ...

serves as the primary camping facility for the WTAC and has been in continuous operation since 1946. It is also the home of Ittawamba Lodge 235 of the

Order of the Arrow The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the honor society of Scouting America, composed of Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Promise, Scout Oath and Scout Law, Law in their daily lives as elected by their peers. It was founded as a camp fr ...

Girl Scouting in Tennessee today

There are four Girl Scout councils serving Tennessee.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

See Scouting in Georgia for complete information. This council serves girls in

Polk County, Tennessee Polk County is a county located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 17,544. Its county seat is Benton. The county was created on November 28, 1839, from parts of ...

Headquarters:

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

Girl Scouts Heart of the South

Girl Scouts Heart of the South was established on June 1, 2008, by the merger of Girl Scouts of Northeast Mississippi, Girl Scout Council of Northwest Mississippi, Girl Scout Council of The Mid-South, and Reelfoot Girl Scout Council. It serves 6,000 girls and has 2,000 adult volunteers in west Tennessee, north Mississippi and

Crittenden County, Arkansas Crittenden County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 48,163. The county seat is Marion, Arkansas, Marion, and the largest city is West ...

. Headquarters:

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

Camps: * Kamp Kiwani is including a lake in

Middleton, Tennessee Middleton is a city in Hardeman County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 706 at the 2010 census, up from 602 at the 2000 census. It is located at the intersection of Tennessee State Route 125 and Tennessee State Route 57. Its sloga ...

* Camp Tik-A-Witha is with a lake in Van Vleet,

Chickasaw County, Mississippi Chickasaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,106. Its county seats are Houston and Okolona. The county is named for the Chickasaw people, who lived in this area for hundre ...

next to the

Tombigbee National Forest Tombigbee National Forest is a U.S. National Forest in eastern and northeastern Mississippi. It is named for the nearby Tombigbee River. It is divided geographically into two non-contiguous sections. The larger southern section, about 60% of th ...

. * Camp Fisherville is in

Fisherville, Tennessee Fisherville is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community lying between the jurisdiction of Fayette County, Tennessee, Fayette and Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. Fisherville is located between Eads, Tennessee, Eads a ...

* Girl Scout Program/Training Center in

Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee

Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee serves over 14,000 girls and has 7,000 adult volunteers in 39 Tennessee counties. Nashville had its first troop in 1917 and Nashville Girl Scout Council was chartered in 1926. In 1958 a reorganization led to Cumberland Valley Girl Scout Council covering 20 counties in Tennessee and southern Kentucky. In 2006 a new realignment led to the current larger council. Headquarters:

Camps: * Camp Holloway is in

Millersville, Tennessee Millersville is a city in Robertson and Sumner counties, Tennessee. The population was 5,308 at the 2000 census and 6,440 in 2010. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. Demographics ...

, and established in 1951 as a camp for "Negro girl scouts"; it now serves all girls. It is named for Josephine Holloway who founded the first official African-American Girl Scout troop in Nashville in 1942 (some 18 years after establishing one unofficially and 9 years after first seeking official permission). * Camp Nee Kah Nah is in

Gainesboro, Tennessee Gainesboro () is a town in and the county seat of Jackson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 920 at the 2020 census. Gainesboro is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area. History The Gainesboro ...

. Its name derives from "friendship crossing" in

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

. * Camp Piedmont is in

Murfreesboro, Tennessee Murfreesboro is a city in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Its population was 165,430 according to the 2023 census estimate, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010 United States census, 2010. Murfreesboro i ...

. (sold in 2024) * Camp Sycamore Hills is in

Ashland City, Tennessee Ashland City is a town and the county seat of Cheatham County, Tennessee. Located in Middle Tennessee, it is part of the Nashville-Davidson– Murfreesboro– Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the town's popula ...

. It was established in 1959. Founded in 2017, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee Troop 6000 serves scouts at homeless shelters across Middle Tennessee.

Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA)

Formed by the merger of Girl Scouts of the Appalachian Council, Girl Scouts of Tanasi Council, and Girl Scouts of Moccasin Bend Council. This council covers 46 counties in southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, and north Georgia and has service centers in

Johnson City, Tennessee Johnson City is a city in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, mostly in Washington County. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 71,046, making it Tennessee's eighth-most populous cit ...

Knoxville Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

, and

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...

. Camps: * Camp Wildwood in

is owned by the Harris Foundation but for the use of the Girl Scouts. * Camp Tanasi covers on

near Andersonville * Camp Adahi covers on

Lookout Mountain Lookout Mountain is a mountain ridge at the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Georgia, the northeast corner of Alabama, and along the southeastern Tennessee state line in Chattanooga. Lookout Mountain was the scene of the 18th-century "La ...

in Georgia and includes lake. It was acquired in 1965. Former camps: * Camp Sky-Wa-Mo in

Bluff City, Tennessee Bluff City is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The population of this town according to the 2024 census is 1,839 occupants. It is part of the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johns ...

. Put on the market in September 2012. * Camp Windy Knob in

Greenville, Tennessee Greeneville is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, and it is the sec ...

* Warren-Kelly Memorial Center for Girls("The Hut") in

Big Stone Gap, Virginia Big Stone Gap is a town in Wise County, Virginia, United States. The town was economically centered around the coal industry for much of its early development. The population was 5,254 at the 2020 census. History The community was formerly kn ...

Scouting museums in Tennessee

* The Girl Scout Museum at Daisy's Place, Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians Office in Knoxville * Peregrine International Museum of Scouting

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scouting In Tennessee

Youth organizations based in Tennessee Southern Region (Boy Scouts of America)

Early history (1910–1950)

Boy Scouts of America in Tennessee today

Cherokee Area Council

Council camp

Chickasaw Council

Council camps

Great Smoky Mountain Council

Organization

Council camps

Middle Tennessee Council

Sequoyah Council

Organization

Council camp

Lincoln Heritage Council

West Tennessee Area Council

Council camp

Girl Scouting in Tennessee today

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

Girl Scouts Heart of the South

Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee

Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA)

Scouting museums in Tennessee

See also

References