Scouting in New Jersey

In 1915, the Ridgewood Council (#359) was formed, changing its name to the Ridgewood-Glen Rock Council (#359) in 1922. In 1919, the Englewood Council (#339) was formed, changing its name to the Englewood Council (#350) in 1922. In 1915, the Paterson Council (#355) was formed, changing its name to the Paterson Area Council (#355) in 1927. The council changed it name again in 1942 to the Alhtaha Council (#355).[1]

In 1917, the Bloomfield Council (#333) and Nutley Council (#352) were formed. They merged to for the Bloomfield-Nutley Council (#333) in 1929. In 1935, Bloomfield-Nutley changed its name to Tamarack Council (#333). In 1915, the South Bergen County Council (#360) was formed, merging into the Tamarack Council (#333) in 1935.[1]

In 1913, the Montclair Council (#346) was formed. In 1918, the Caldwell Council (#334) was formed. In 1915, the Glen Ridge Council (#821) was formed. In 1931, the Montclair, Caldwell, and Glen Ridge councils merged to become the Eagle Rock Council (#346) in 1931.[1]

In 1915, the East Orange Council (#337) was formed. In 1917, the Orange (#353) and West Orange (#363) councils were formed. In 1917, the South Orange Council (#345) was formed, changing its name to the Orange Mountain Council (#345) in 1919. In 1933, the East Orange, Orange, West Orange, and Orange Mountain councils merged to form the Oranges and Maplewood Area Council (#337). Oranges and Maplewood Area Council changed its name to Orange Mountain (#337) in 1949.[1]

In 1919, the North Hudson Council (#351) was formed, changing its name to the Alexander Hamilton Council (#351) in 1937. In 1921, the Hoboken Council (#341) was formed. In 1918, the Jersey City Council (#342) was formed. In 1936, the Hoboken and Jersey City councils merged to become the Hudson Council (342).[1]

In 1915, the Newark Council (#349) was formed, changing its name to the Robert Treat Council (#349) in 1933. In 1915, the Passaic Council (#354) was formed, changing its name to the Aheka Council (#354) in 1939. In 1931, the Eagle Rock Council (#346) was formed. In 1942, the Alhtaha Council (#355) was formed. In 1949, the Orange Mountain Council (#337) was formed. In 1921, the North Bergen County Council (#350) was formed. In 1918, the Bayonne Council (#332) was formed.[1]

South Jersey[2]

Cumberland County Council (#336) existed from 1919 to 1944 became [a part of] South Jersey Council (#336) which formed in 1944.

Lenape Area Council #339 (1929-1932) eventually became [a part of] Atlantic Area Council (#331).

Atlantic Area Council (#331) formed in 1926 and Ocean County Council (#341) formed in 1940, merged in 1992 creating Jersey Shore Council#341.

Burlington County Council (#690) formed in 1925.

Gloucester-Salem Council (#678) formed in 1924 and South Jersey Council (#336) formed in 1944, merged in 1967 to become Southern New Jersey Council (#334).

Southern New Jersey Council (#334) and Burlington County Council (#690) merged to form Garden State Council (#690) in 2013.

Camp Glen Gray, located in Bergen County, New Jersey (Northern New Jersey Council) has been continually active since 1917, and was originally 150 acres (0.61 km²) located in a valley in the Ramapo Mountains in New Jersey. Camp Glen Gray is named after Frank Fellows Gray, (1869–1935) a well known early professional Scouter of that area. It was selected and developed by Gray to give a permanent summer camp for Scouts, and the camp is the first purpose-built Scout camp in New Jersey. Prior Scout summer camping experiments were typically temporary affairs at farm fields or church camps. Frank Gray was one of America's earliest Scoutmasters, having started Troop 4 in Montclair, New Jersey, known as the "Lord Baden-Powell Troop" in March 1909.[3] He also created an honor program that was used in New Jersey and in the Brooklyn Council called "Senior Division". The camp ultimately reached a size of about 840 acres (3.4 km²) and was operated by Eagle Rock Council, then Essex Council, and finally Northern New Jersey Council. In 2003, the camp was sold to the Bergen County Parks Commission and operated through a management agreement by the non-profit group Friends of Glen Gray, and is supported by a group of volunteers known as the "Old Guard". While no longer an "official" Boy Scout Camp, it does continue to host a large number of Scouting groups and activities throughout the year, as well as hosting a summer day camp for an area special-needs school.

Notable Scout Walter Marty Schirra, Jr. (March 12, 1923 – May 3, 2007) earned the rank of First Class in Troop 36 in Oradell, New Jersey. He was one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts. He was also the only person to fly in all of America's first three space programs (Mercury, Gemini and Apollo).

Cub Scouting Origins – To begin including younger boys to Scouting, James E. West approved the formation of the Boy Rangers of America, a separate organization for boys eight through twelve based on an American Indian theme. The Boy Rangers used the Scout Law and Chief Guide Emerson Brooks was a Boy Scout commissioner in Montclair, New Jersey. The BSA finally began some experimental Cubbing units in 1928 and in 1930 the BSA began registering the first Cubbing packs, and the Boy Rangers were absorbed. The Cub Scouting program used elements of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book series, with the Cubmaster taking the role of Akela and the assistant Cubmaster the role of Baloo. The American program also syncretized American Indian elements, with all Cub Scouts belonging to the Webelos tribe, symbolized by the Arrow of Light and led by Akela. Webelos was also an acronym meaning Wolf, Bear, Lion, Scout. The initial rank structure was Wolf, Bear and Lion, with ages of 9, 10 and 11. Dens of six to eight Cubs were entirely led by a Boy Scout holding the position of den chief.

Mortimer L. Schiff – After a long tenure as vice-president of the BSA beginning in 1910, during which he also appeared on the cover of Time magazine on February 14, 1927, Mortimer L. Schiff was elected as president in 1931, but died after serving one month and Walter Head returned until 1946. Schiff's mother purchased and donated 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land in New Jersey and donated it to the BSA, thus creating Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation as a national training center. Both Mortimer and his son, John M. Schiff, received the Silver Buffalo Award from the BSA.

William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt – William Hillcourt was one of the BSA's most prolific writers. He wrote numerous articles for Boys' Life and Scouting magazines, including a column aimed at patrol leaders under the by-line of "Patrol Leader Green Bar Bill". At least 12,610,000 copies of his three editions of the Boy Scout Handbook were printed. Hillcourt died in Europe while on a Scouting tour in 1992. He is buried with his wife Grace in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Mendham, New Jersey at Row 8, Block I, to be near Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation as he had lived for so many years. His legacy in Scouting and his influence continue in the programs and training of Scouting. Consequently, his writings are still used within the Scouting movement and his material continues to be reprinted in Scouting magazine.[21] The Hiawatha Seaway Council operates the William Hillcourt Scout Museum at Camp Woodland in New York to "keep the traditions of Scouting alive" through the preservation of the history that is a foundation for today's Scouting movement

Order of the Arrow – The first Order of the Arrow ceremony for the Vigil Honor was held in New Jersey by E. Urner Goodman using Scouts from the Treasure Island Scout Reservation. The 1925 and 1936 National Order of the Arrow Lodge Meetings were held at Treasure Island, New Jersey.

In 1954, the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America moved its National Headquarters from New York City to a new site at the southwest corner of U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 130 in North Brunswick, New Jersey, although the location appeared in BSA publications as "New Brunswick".[4] The Johnston Historical Museum and a conservation education trail were also located there.[5] The national headquarters moved to Irving, Texas in 1979.[6]

In 1968, the Hudson and Alexander Hamilton councils merged to become the Hudson-Hamilton Council (#348). In 1993, the Bayonne (#332) and Hudson-Hamilton (#348) councils merged to become the Hudson Liberty Council (#348).[1] In 1969, the North Bergen County Council (#350) changed its name to the Bergen Council (#350) in 1969. The Ridgewood-Glen Rock Council (#359) merged with the Bergen Council (#350) in 1997.[1]

In 1972, the Aheka (#354) and Alhtaha (#355) councils merged to become the Passaic Valley Council (#353). In 1986 Tamarack Council dissolved, splitting into both the Essex (#336) and Bergen (#338) councils. In 1976, the Orange Mountain (#337), Eagle Rock (#346), and Robert Treat (#349) councils merged to become the Essex Council (#336).[1]

On January 1, 1999, the Essex (#336), Hudson Liberty (#338), Bergen (#350), and Passaic Valley councils merged to become the Northern New Jersey Council (#333).[1]

There are seven Boy Scouts of America (BSA) local councils active in New Jersey.

Map of Girl Scout Councils in New Jersey

New Jersey is divided into four councils that were created by rearrangement of the previous eleven councils in 2007.

Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetség Hungarian Scouting maintains two troops each in Passaic, New Jersey and New Brunswick, New Jersey.

The New Jersey Scout Museum in Morganville was established as an independent non-profit in 2004 and concentrates on history of Scouting in New Jersey.

BSA:

• Upper Township NJ
• Troop 76 - Greater Sea Isle City Area
• Patriot's Path Council
• Northern New Jersey Council
• Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco
• Monmouth Council
• Jersey Shore Council
• Garden State Council
• Camp Glen Gray

Girl Scouts:

• Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ
• Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey
• Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore
• Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey
• List of New Jersey Girl Scout camps
• New Jersey Scout Museum