Editing Scouting in West Virginia

{{short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Infobox WorldScouting
|name=Scouting in West Virginia
|image=West Virginia BSA Councils.png
|imagesize=
|caption=BSA Councils Serving West Virginia
|image2= 
|caption2= 
}}
'''Scouting in West Virginia''' 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. 
{{TOC limit|limit=3}}

==Early history (1909-1950)==
[[File:Camp Waldo Schmitt.jpg|thumb|[[Camp Waldo Schmitt]]]]
In 1920, the [[Fairmont Council]] was founded. It closed in 1922.

In 1921, the [[Morgantown Council]] was founded. It closed in 1923.

In 1922, the [[Grafton Council]] was founded. It closed in 1923.

In 1923, the [[New River District Council]] (#615) was founded. It closed in 1923.

In 1928, the [[Mountaineer Area Council]] was founded.

In 1925, the [[McDowell County Council]] (#707) was founded. It changed its name to the [[Southern West Virginia Council]] (#707) in 1928.

In 1925, the [[Charleston Council]] (#617) was founded. It changed its name to the [[Charleston Area Council]] (#617) in 1929.

In 1926, the [[Logan County Council (West Virginia)|Logan County Council]] (#756) was founded. It changed its name to the [[Logan-Boone Area Council]] (#756) in 1930. It merged into the [[Logan-Boone-Mingo Area Council]] (#756) in 1935.

In 1930, the [[Kentucky-West Virginia Council]] (#626) was founded. It merged into the Logan-Boone-Mingo Area Council (#756) in 1934. It changed its name to the [[Cornstalk Council]] (#756) in 1953. It changed its name to the [[Chief Cornstalk Council]] (#756) in 1954. It merged into the [[Buckskin Council]] (#617) in 1990.

In 1929, the [[Charleston Area Council]] (#617) was founded. It changed its name to the [[Buckskin Council]] (#617) in 1949.

In 1946, the [[Appalachian Council (Virginia)|Appalachian Council]] (#673) was founded. It merged into the [[Southern West Virginia Council]] (#707) in 1955. It changed its name to the [[Appalachian Council (Virginia)|Appalachian Council]] (#707) in 1956. In 1991, the council merged into the [[Buckskin Council]] (#617).

In 1949, the [[Buckskin Council]] (#617) was founded.

In 1919, the [[Parkersburg Council]] (#618) was founded. It changed its name to the [[Kootaga Area Council]] (#618) in 1933. In 1990, it merged into the [[Allohak Council]] (#618).

In 1916, the [[Clarksburg Council]] (#616) was founded. It changed its name to the [[Clarksburg Area Council]] (#616) in 1936. It changed its name to the [[Central West Virginia Council]] (#616) in 1941. In 1990, it merged into the Allohak Council (#618).

In 1916, the [[Wheeling Council]] (#619) was founded. It changed its name to the [[Wheeling and Moundsville Council]] (#619) in 1923. It changed its name to the [[Wheeling Area Council]] (#619) in 1925. It changed its name to the [[Huroquois Council]] (#619) in 1926. It changed its name to the [[National Trail Council]] (#619) in 1966. It changed its name to the [[Ohio River Valley Council]] (#619) in 1991.

In 1919, the [[Huntington Council (West Virginia)|Huntington Council]] (#672) was founded. It changed its name to the [[Huntington Area Council]] (#672) in 1924. It changed its name to the [[Tri-State Area Council]] (#672) in 1935.

==Recent history (1950-present)==
[[File:Opening ceremony 130716-A-JR559-015.jpg|thumb|right|Opening Ceremony of the [[2013 National Scout Jamboree]] at the Summit Bechtel Reserve.]]
In 1990, the [[Allohak Council]] (#618) was created from the merger of the Central West Virginia Council (#616) and the Kootaga Area Council (#618).

[[The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve]], often shortened as '''Summit Bechtel Reserve''' (SBR) and '''The Summit''', located in [[Mount Hope, West Virginia]], near [[Beckley, West Virginia|Beckley]],<ref name="world"/> is one of four facilities managed by the National Council of the [[Boy Scouts of America]] (BSA). The Summit is the home of the [[National Scout jamboree (Boy Scouts of America)|national Scout jamboree]], The Paul R. Christen National [[High-adventure bases of the Boy Scouts of America|High Adventure Base]], The James C. Justice National Scout Camp, and the Thomas S. Monson Leadership Excellence Complex. The main site is {{convert|10600|acre|km2}} in size, with additional properties along the New River Gorge totaling around 14,000 acres. The facility hosted the [[2013 National Scout Jamboree]].<ref name="world">{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.scouting.org/Media/PressReleases/PreviousYears/2009/20091120.aspx
 |title       = Boy Scouts to Bring World-Class Center of Scouting Excellence to West Virginia
 |date        = November 18, 2009
 |work        = Boy Scouts of America
 |access-date  = October 30, 2010
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110622110136/http://www.scouting.org/Media/PressReleases/PreviousYears/2009/20091120.aspx
 |archive-date = June 22, 2011
}}
</ref>

==Boy Scouts of America in West Virginia today==

There are nine [[Boy Scouts of America]] local (BSA) councils in [[West Virginia]]. Most  of West Virginia lies within the BSA's Central Region,  Mineral, Hardy, Hampshire, are part of the Northeast Region.  Pendleton, Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson counties, are part of the Southern  Region.

===Allohak Council===
{{Infobox WorldScouting
|name=Allohak Council<!--
|image= -->
|type=council
|owner=[[Boy Scouts of America]]
|headquarters=[[Parkersburg, West Virginia]]
|location= West Virginia and Ohio
|country=
|coords=
|f-date=1990
|defunct=
|founders=
|founder=
|members=
|chiefscouttitle=President
|chiefscout=
|chiefscouttitle2=Council Commissioner
|chiefscout2=
|chiefscouttitle3=Scout Executive
|chiefscout3=
|website=[http://www.allohak.org allohak.org]
}}

The '''Allohak Council''' was created in 1990 but was disbanded on December 31, 2018.

It was composed of six districts and served West Virginia and Ohio.  The council headquarters was in [[Parkersburg, West Virginia]].

====History====
{{chart/start}}
{{chart| | PAR | | MAR | | CLA | |PAR=Parkersburg Council #618<br />founded 1919 |MAR=Marietta Council #464<br />founded 1917 |CLA=Clarksburg Council #616<br />founded 1916}}
{{chart| | |!| | | |!| | | |!| }}
{{chart| | |!| | | WAS | | |!| |WAS=Washington County Council #464<br />renamed 1922}}
{{chart| | |!| | | |!| | | |!| }}
{{chart| | KOO | | SOU | | CAC | |KOO=Kootaga Area Council #618<br />renamed 1933 |SOU=Southeastern Ohio Council #464<br />renamed 1923 |CAC=Clarksburg Area Council #616<br />renamed 1936}}
{{chart| | |!| | | |!| | | |!| }}
{{chart| | |!| | | |!| | | CWV | |CWV=Central West Virginia Council #616<br />renamed 1941}}
{{chart| | KAC |-|-|'| | | |!| |KAC=Kootaga Area Council #618<br />merged 1942}}
{{chart| | |!| | | | | | | |!| }}
{{chart| | ALL |-|-|-|-|-|-|'| |ALL=Allohak Council #618<br />merged 1990}}
{{chart/end}}

====Split of Council====
:[[Buckskin Council]]
*Blennerhassett District - Counties of [[Ritchie County, West Virginia|Ritchie]], [[Wood County, West Virginia|Wood]] (except [[Williamstown, WV|Williamstown]]), and [[Belpre, Ohio]] became part of the newly formed Kootaga District of the Buckskin Council
*Little Kanawha District - Counties of [[Calhoun County, West Virginia|Calhoun]], [[Jackson County, West Virginia|Jackson]], [[Roane County, West Virginia|Roane]], and [[Wirt County, West Virginia|Wirt]] became part of the newly formed Kootaga District in the Buckskin Council

:[[Mountaineer Area Council|Mountaineer Council]]
*Highland District - Counties of [[Barbour County, West Virginia|Barbour]], [[Upshur County, West Virginia|Upshur]], [[Randolph County, West Virginia|Randolph]], [[Tucker County, West Virginia|Tucker]] moved into the Mountaineer Council 
*Stonewall Jackson District - Counties of [[Doddridge County, West Virginia|Doddridge]], [[Gilmer County, West Virginia|Gilmer]], [[Harrison County, West Virginia|Harrison]], and [[Lewis County, West Virginia|Lewis]] moved into the Mountaineer Council.

:Simon Kenton Council
*Hock Hocking District - [[Athens County, Ohio]] moved into the Simon Kenton Council

:[[Muskingum Valley Council]]
*Washington District - Counties of [[Pleasants County, West Virginia|Pleasants]], [[Washington County, Ohio]] (except Belpre), and Williamstown moved into the Muskingum Valley Council.

====Camps====
[[File:Camp Kootaga entrance sign.jpg|thumb|right|Camp Kootaga entrance sign.]]
'''Camp Kootaga''' is located in Wirt County, WV. It serves as the summer camp for the Allohak Council. The camp is located on approximately 600 acres of forest land along the Hughes River. Each year 5 weeks of summer camp are conducted at Camp Kootaga. Camp Kootaga has 14 campsites.

The property known as Camp Kootaga was purchased in 1922 by Don B. Lowe under the Gim-O-Gash tribe of the Boy Scouts of America. The first long-term summer camp was held that year on the banks of the Hughes River in the Kootaga region. This camp consisted of one or two Troops from the Parkersburg area with Don B. Lowe as the Camp Director during the early years. In 1929 Col. R. L. Cole brought a Kiowa Indian named J. Dougannah to help with the camp program. He gave Indian names to the Leaders and named the Boy Scout camp "Kootaga" which means "Good Friends." Through the years, Camp Kootaga has gone through many changes, but one thing has remained constant: helping develop young men into upstanding citizens and outstanding individuals.

'''Camp Mahonegon''', sitting of approximately 500 acres in Upshur County, is the second camp in the Allohak Council. Though no longer used as an active summer camp, Mahonegon has remained an active part of the council. It is used for many council events yearly, and continues to be a focal point for scouting activity. The First Summer Camp was held in 1948. The last Summer Camp was held in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allohak.org/index.php/about|title = Allohak – free new pics and videos}}</ref> Camp Mahonegon was put up for sale when the Allohak Council was dissolved.

===Buckeye Council===
{{Main|Buckeye Council}}
'''Buckeye Council''' serves Scouts in [[Ohio]] and West Virginia.

===Buckskin Council===
{{Infobox WorldScouting
| name=Buckskin Council
|image=
|type=council
|owner=[[Boy Scouts of America]]
|headquarters=[[Charleston, West Virginia]]
|location=Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia
|country=
|coords=
|f-date=
|defunct=
|founders=
|founder=
|members=
|chiefscouttitle=Council President
|chiefscout=
|chiefscouttitle2=Council Commissioner
|chiefscout2=
|chiefscouttitle3=Scout Executive
|chiefscout3=
|website=http://www.buckskin.org
}}
{{main|Buckskin Council}}
'''Buckskin Council''' serves Scouts in Scouts in Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wyatt|first=W. Joseph|title=Buckskin Boys: A History of the Buckskin Council, 1919-2004|publisher=Pictorial Histories Publishing Company|date=January 2004|isbn=1575101149}}</ref>

====Organization====
The council is divided into several districts:
*Adena District
*Chief Cornstalk District
*Kootaga District
*Mountain Dominion District
*Seneca District
*Shawnee District

===Mountaineer Area Council===
{{Infobox WorldScouting
|name=Mountaineer Area Council<!--
|image= -->
|type=council
|owner=[[Boy Scouts of America]]
|headquarters=[[Fairmont, West Virginia]]
|location=West Virginia
|country=
|coords=
|f-date=1928
|defunct=
|founders=
|founder=
|members=
|chiefscouttitle=President
|chiefscout=
|chiefscouttitle2=Council Commissioner
|chiefscout2=
|chiefscouttitle3=Scout Executive
|chiefscout3=
|website=[http://www.macbsa.org macbsa.org]
}}
The Mountaineer Area Council serves Scouts of Monongalia, Marion, Preston, Taylor, Barbour, Tucker, Randolph, Upshur, Harrison, Doddridge, Gilmer, and Lewis counties in North Central West Virginia. It is the only council in the state to exclusively serve counties of West Virginia.<ref>
{{cite web
  | title = Mountaineer Area Council, BSA
  | url = http://macbsa.org
  }}
</ref>

====History====
The Mountaineer Area Council (#615) was founded 1928.

January 1, 2019 included the acquisition of eight counties to the council's territory, to include twelve counties total. The former Stonewall Jackson and Highland Districts of the Allohak Council joined the Mountaineer Area Council after the dissolution of the Allohak Council. [http://macbsa.org/about/]

====Organization====
*Heart of West Virginia District serving Harrison, Marion, Doddridge, Gilmer, Lewis, and Taylor Counties
*Cheat District serving Monongalia, Preston, Tucker, Barbour, Upshur, and Randolph Counties

====Camps====
*Camp Mountaineer is located in Morgantown, WV. It is the summer camp for the Mountaineer Area Council. Opening in 1956, Camp Mountaineer is a premiere year-round camping facility encompassing over 1,000 acres of West Virginia foliage and fauna. Hidden in the hills of Monongalia County, this serene camp has a variety of campsites and program areas near picturesque Strawn Lake. The Summer Camps include Scouts BSA Resident Camp, Cub Scout Resident Camp, Cub Scout Day Camp, and High Adventure Camp for Scouts 13 and up. From the youngest Scouts, there is the Mountain Man program, advanced leadership building skills of the C.O.P.E. and High Adventure Programs. The state of the art Shooting Sports facilities with specialized rifle, shotgun and archery ranges, and two climbing & rappelling towers.<ref>
{{cite web
  | title = Mountaineer Area Council, BSA
  | url = http://www.macbsa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58&Itemid=9
  }}
</ref>
*Camp Lynn is located at 39°30'22.8"N 79°52'21.0"W. It is 168 acres of rustic camping just 2.6 miles from Camp Mountaineer on Boy Scout Rd. Camp Lynn is remote with limited access by vehicle. With many natural streams, a large field, and hard wood and pine forests surrounding it, it is the perfect location for backpacking, trail excursions or primitive camping.<ref>
{{cite web
  | title = Mountaineer Area Council, BSA
  | url = http://www.macbsa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=163&Itemid=9
  }}
</ref>

====Order of the Arrow====
Menawngihella Lodge #550<ref>
{{cite web
  | title = Mountaineer Area Council, BSA
  | url = http://www.macbsa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=6
  }}
</ref>

===Ohio River Valley Council===
{{Infobox WorldScouting
|name=Ohio River Valley Council<!--
|image= -->
|type=council
|owner=[[Boy Scouts of America]]
|headquarters=[[Wheeling, West Virginia]]
|location=West Virginia and Ohio
|country=
|coords=
|f-date=1991
|defunct=
|founders=
|founder=
|members=
|chiefscouttitle=President
|chiefscout=
|chiefscouttitle2=Council Commissioner
|chiefscout2=
|chiefscouttitle3=Scout Executive
|chiefscout3=
|website=[http://www.orvc-bsa.org orvc-bsa.org]
}}
'''Ohio River Valley Council''' serves Scouts in West Virginia and [[Ohio]].<ref>
{{cite web
  | title = Ohio River Valley Council, BSA
  | url = http://www.orvc-bsa.com
  }}
</ref>

====History====
{{chart/start}}
{{chart| | WHE | |WHE=Wheeling Council #619<br />founded 1916}}
{{chart| | |!| }}
{{chart| | WMC | |WMC=Wheeling and Moundsville Council #619<br />renamed 1923}}
{{chart| | |!| }}
{{chart| | WAC | |WAC=Wheeling Area Council #619<br />renamed 1925}}
{{chart| | |!| }}
{{chart| | HUR | |HUR=Huroquois Council #619<br />renamed 1926}}
{{chart| | |!| | | FSA | |FSA=Fort Steuben Area Council #459<br />founded 1929}}
{{chart| | NTC | | |!| |NTC=National Trail Council #619<br />renamed 1966}}
{{chart| | |!| | | |!| }}
{{chart| | ORV |-|-|'| |ORV=Ohio River Valley Council #619<br />merged 1991}}
{{chart/end}}

====Districts====
*Two Chiefs serves Harrison County, OH, Jefferson County, OH, Brooke County, WV Hancock County, WV
*National Trail serves Belmont County, OH, Ohio County, WV
*Mountaineer serves Monroe County, OH, Marshall County, WV, Wetzel County, WV, Tyler County, WV

====Camps====
*Fort Steuben Scout Reservation - [[Freeport, Ohio]]
*Sandscrest Scout Reservation - [[Wheeling, WV]]

====Order of the Arrow====

Onondaga Lodge 36<ref>{{cite web  |title = Onondaga Lodge 36 |url = http://www.onondaga36.org}} The [[Order of the Arrow]] Lodge of the Ohio River Valley Council</ref>

===Laurel Highlands Council===
{{Main|Laurel Highlands Council}}
'''Laurel Highlands Council''' served Scouts in [[Maryland,]] [[Pennsylvania,]] and [[West Virginia]].

===Shenandoah Area Council===
{{Main|Shenandoah Area Council}}
'''Shenandoah Area Council''' serves Scouts in Virginia and West Virginia.

===Stonewall Jackson Area Council===
{{Infobox WorldScouting
| name=Stonewall Jackson Area Council
|image=
|type=council
|owner=[[Boy Scouts of America]]
|headquarters=[[Waynesboro, Virginia]]
|location= Virginia and West Virginia
|country=
|coords=
|f-date=1926
|defunct=
|founders=
|founder=
|members=
|chiefscouttitle=Council President
|chiefscout=
|chiefscouttitle2=Council Commissioner
|chiefscout2=
|chiefscouttitle3=Scout Executive
|chiefscout3=
|website=http://bsa-sjac.org/
}}
{{Main|Stonewall Jackson Area Council}}
Stonewall Jackson Area Council serves Scouts in the [[Shenandoah Valley]] and [[Charlottesville]] areas of [[Virginia]] and [[Pendleton County, West Virginia]].

====Organization====
The council is part of Area 7 of the Southern Region of the BSA. The council service center is in [[Waynesboro, Virginia]] and employs seven paid professional Scouters and an office staff. SJAC is divided into four districts:
* Massanutten District: [[Harrisonburg, Virginia|Harrisonburg]]; [[Rockingham County, Virginia|Rockingham]] and [[Pendleton County, West Virginia|Pendleton]] counties
* Monticello District: [[Charlottesville, Virginia|Charlottesville]]; [[Albemarle County, Virginia|Albemarle]], [[Fluvanna County, Virginia|Fluvanna]], [[Greene County, Virginia|Greene]], [[Louisa County, Virginia|Louisa]], [[Madison County, Virginia|Madison]] and [[Orange County, Virginia|Orange]] counties
* Southern District: [[Buena Vista, Virginia|Buena Vista]], [[Covington, Virginia|Covington]], [[Clifton Forge, Virginia|Clifton Forge]], [[Lexington, Virginia|Lexington]]; [[Alleghany County, Virginia|Alleghany]], [[Bath County, Virginia|Bath]] and [[Rockbridge County, Virginia|Rockbridge]] counties
* Valley District: [[Staunton, Virginia|Staunton]], [[Waynesboro, Virginia|Waynesboro]]; [[Augusta County, Virginia|Augusta]] and [[Highland County, Virginia|Highland]] counties

==Girl Scouting in West Virginia==
{{Infobox WorldScouting
|name=Girl Scouting in West Virginia
|image=West virginia-gsusa.svg
|caption=Map of Girl Scout Councils in West Virginia
|type=council
}}
There are two Girl Scout councils in West Virginia.

===Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital===
{{main|Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital}}
In October 2009 the old Shawnee Council of West Virginia joined with the [[Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital]] as part of the nationwide reorganization.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = A Girl Scout Story - June 2009
  | publisher = Girl Scouts of Shawnee Council
  | url = http://www.shawneegirlscouts.org/page.aspx?pid=153
  | access-date = 2009-08-15}}
</ref>

West Virginia Service Center: [[Martinsburg, West Virginia]]

====Other Girl Scout Camps====
The [[Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania]] has Camp Roy Weller in [[Bruceton Mills, West Virginia]].  It is {{convert|792|acre|km2}} and besides lodges and camping areas has the Eberly Family Learning Center.

===Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council===
{{Infobox WorldScouting
|name=Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council
|image=
|caption=
|type=council
|owner=
|headquarters= [[Charleston, West Virginia]]
|location=
|country=United States
|coords=
|f-date=
|defunct=
|founders=
|founder=
|members=
|chiefscouttitle=President
|chiefscout=
|chiefscouttitle2=Council Commissioner
|chiefscout2=
|chiefscouttitle3=Scout Executive
|chiefscout3=
|website=[http://www.bdgsc.org bdgsc.org]
}}
Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council
  | url = http://www.bdgsc.org
  }}
Most of the info in this section is taken from here.</ref> serves more than 20,000 girls in 61 counties in West Virginia, [[Scouting in Ohio#Girl Scouts of the USA in Ohio|Ohio]], [[Scouting in Virginia#Girl Scouts of the USA|Virginia]], and [[Scouting in Maryland#Girl Scouting in Maryland|Maryland]].

====Field Offices====
*[[Athens, Ohio]]  - Appalachian Field Office shared with [[Scouting in Ohio|Girl Scouts - Seal of Ohio]]
*[[Steubenville, Ohio]]
*[[Beckley, WV]]
*[[Bluefield, WV]]
*[[Chapmanville, WV]]
*[[Huntington, WV]]
*[[Fairmont, WV]]
*[[Lewisburg, WV]]
*[[Morgantown, WV]]
*[[Parkersburg, WV]]
*[[Walton, WV]]
*[[Weston, WV]]
*[[Wheeling, WV]]

====Camps====
*Camp Giscowheco in [[Triadelphia, West Virginia]]
*Camp Sandy Bend in [[Elizabeth, West Virginia]]
*Camp Mamie Flynn in [[Logan, West Virginia]]
*Camp Rocky Ledges in [[Milton, West Virginia]]

==See also==
{{commons category|Scouting in West Virginia}}
{{Portal|Scouting}}
*[[Girl Scouts of Kentucky's Wilderness Road Council]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Scouting in the United States}}

[[Category:Youth organizations based in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Scouting in the United States|West Virginia]]
[[Category:Central Region (Boy Scouts of America)]]
[[Category:Southern Region (Boy Scouts of America)]]