Griswold Scout Reservation

In 1925, the Manchester Council purchased 38 acres (15 ha) on the shores of Guinea Pond (now Lake Manning) in Gilmanton Ironworks, opening Camp Manning. It hosted 144 campers in its inaugural season. When the Manchester Council was replaced by the Daniel Webster Council in 1929, it was decided to continue to use Camp Manning as the primary camp. In 1932, Camp Manning expanded an additional 100 acres (0.40 km²), allowing 305 campers to utilize the camp.[2]

As Scouting's numbers continued to increase, it was determined that Camp Manning would no longer be able to accommodate the continuing growth. The Daniel Webster Council moved all summer programs to Camp Carpenter in Manchester, New Hampshire. In 1945, the decision was made to sell Camp Manning. Four years later, in 1949, Camp Manning was sold to an independent church group, which opened Camp Leo.[1]

On the nearby property, the Norumbega Council (based in Waban, Massachusetts, now a part of the Mayflower Council) opened Hidden Valley Scout Reservation. The Norumbega Council operated Hidden Valley from 1961 to 1970. After struggles to maintain the property, the Daniel Webster Council purchased Hidden Valley in the fall of 1970. Shortly after, an additional 1,000 acres (4.0 km²) were added to the property. The purchase was made possible through the generosity of Earle A. Griswold, a supporter of the Daniel Webster Council. The name of the property remained the same, Hidden Valley Scout Reservation. It opened for its first season in 1971.

In 1988, Camp Leo closed. Despite a long run, Camp Leo mostly flourished in the 1950s-'60s. The Daniel Webster Council purchased the property again in 1990. This property was incorporated into the existing camp. Around this same time period, Hidden Valley Scout Reservation became the Griswold Hidden Valley Scout Reservation, in remembrance of Earle A. Griswold.[3]

In 2000, Camp Bell, a second camp on the property, was established, utilizing the former land of Camp Leo and Camp Manning. The camp is named for the support of Daniel Webster Council Executive Board Member Ernest "Tutt" Bell III. Due to the creation of Camp Bell, Griswold Hidden Valley Scout Reservation's name was simplified to Griswold Scout Reservation. The two camps on the Griswold Scout Reservation are now Hidden Valley Scout Camp and Camp Bell.[4]

In 1989, a unique, "first-in-the-nation" partnership was formed between Easter Seals of New Hampshire and the Daniel Webster Council. Griswold Scout Reservation became home to the "Easter Seals Lodge", which was built alongside an accompanying campsite in 1991. Together, they compose Camp Sno-Mo (named for their primary donor, the NH Snowmobile Association). Campers with a variety of disabilities begin to mainstream into Scouting and other specialized programming at GSR. Many new programs for Scouts, including the Disabilities Awareness Merit Badge, are offered as part of this new partnership.[5]

Hidden Valley features sixteen established campsites of varying sizes. Campsite "Pioneer" is reserved for Scouts as part of the Provisional Troop or C.I.T Program. Campsites feature canvas walled tents which rest on raised, wooden platforms. Each campsite is equipped with a latrine, with two large shower houses spread among the camp.

The Gilbert Dining Hall, which was built in 1997, serves Scouts three "family style" meals a day. It is capable of seating 620 people. Hidden Valley also features a campfire & ceremony amphitheater capable of seating 850 (completed in 2016), and Carter Lodge, which is used for training or meeting purposes, along with a leader's lounge. A 24-hour health lodge, trading post, and recently renovated chapel are available for Scouts. The majority of these facilities are available for both scout and non-scout groups throughout the calendar year when summer camp is not in session.

Hidden Valley is run as a traditional Scout camp with full dining facilities and a wide variety of program areas and activities. Over 60 merit badges are able to be earned by Scouts, along with various training opportunities for Scouters. Three hour-long merit-badge blocks take place after breakfast, with troops participating in various activities after lunch. After dinner, many program areas open for camp-wide activities, often going into the night.

Programs include low and high ropes courses as part of the COPE program, a 12-station archery range, a 16-station rifle/pistol range, an automated trap shooting range, three waterfronts (Chase, Sunset, and Main) with swimming and boating of all kinds on two different lakes, and any of the various week-long high-adventure treks.[8]

Camp Bell features seven campsites, which are named after various mountains in New Hampshire. They are nearly identical to those of Hidden Valley. The Camp Bell Main Lodge features a health lodge, trading post, camp office, and commissary. A "safety pavilion" was built on the property after numerous Scouts were injured in a lightning strike in 2013. Recently, several primitive Adirondack shelters were built. The majority of these facilities are available for both scout and non-scout groups throughout the calendar year when summer camp is not in session.

Camp Bell is run with a higher emphasis on strengthening the Patrol Method. Campers do their own cooking in their sites and participate in day-long living-history activities as patrols. Patrols can focus on blacksmithing, logging, snorkeling, water-skiing, or various shooting sports. Camp Bell features an indoor rock climbing barn, an all-terrain vehicle hub with a one-acre, terrain-neutral training site, a 200-seat campfire circle, and a functioning farm. It is ideal for an older-scout bracket.[8] Camp Bell includes various thematic program areas including Challenge Valley (an extreme obstacle course), Mountain Man (muzzleloaders & sporting clays), Brownsea (outdoor skills area), Logging Camp (lumberjack), and Foxfire (blacksmithing).

An annual week-long National Youth Leadership Training course takes place at Camp Bell.