Girl Scouting in 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. Many of the local groups and districts took names of historic Virginia Indian tribes in the state.
Boy Scouts of America
History
William D. Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America at 11:03am on February 8, 1910, in Washington, D.C., on the advice of railroad executive and later first national president of the organization Colin H. Livingstone, with assistance from lawyers at the firm Ralston, Siddons and Richardson. Six months later in Norfolk, Charles Merrill Watson, pastor of First Christian Church, organized Troop 1, the first Boy Scout troop in Virginia.
In the next year the National Capital Area Council was formed. The oldest unit in the council is Troop 52, out of All Saints Episcopal Church in Chevy Chase. This unit dates all the way back to 1913. When the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia decided that the security of suffrage marchers in 1916 was not their problem, Troop 52 Scouts marched alongside the women.
From 1981 National Scout Jamboree, through the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, all Jamborees were held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.
Blue Ridge Mountains Council
The Blue Ridge Mountains Council (BRMC) serves Scouts in southwest and south central Virginia.
Buckskin Council
Buckskin Council serves Scouts in Scouts in Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.
Colonial Virginia Council
Formed by the merger of the Peninsula Council (Formerly Newport News Council) and the Old Dominion Council in 1996. Served by the Wahunsenakah Lodge of the Order of the Arrow. Chesapeake Bay District – City of Poquoson, and the Counties of York, Gloucester, and Mathews Colonial Trail District – City of Suffolk, and the Counties of Isle of Wight (excluding the southern portion), and Surry First Colony District – City of Williamsburg and James City County Monitor-Merrimac District – Cities of Hampton and Newport News Siouan Rivers District (named after the language spoken by historic Virginia Indian tribes in the Piedmont) – Cities of Emporia and Franklin, and the Counties of Brunswick, Greensville, Southampton, Sussex, and lower Isle of Wight
Del-Mar-Va Council
Del-Mar-Va Council serves Scouts in Delaware, Maryland and Northampton and Accomack Counties in Virginia.
Heart of Virginia Council
Founded in 1913, the Heart of Virginia Council, Boy Scouts of America, serves 1,400 youth in Central Virginia. The council offers training and support to units in 24 counties in the Tidewater and Piedmont regions of the state, an area spanning 8,143 square miles. Each district represents distinct Scouting communities that serve youth, families, and units within its region. Heart of Virginia Council boasts 604 beautiful acres of property in Maidens Virginia, known as the Goochland Scout Reservation.
Organization
Districts: Arrohattoc District Crater District Dogwood District Huguenot Trail District James River District
Camps
Camp T. Brady Saunders - resident camp established in 1964 near Maidens, Goochland County, Virginia. Diverse program centered on adventure, leadership, and personal development with one of the finest STEM and outdoor leadership offerings in the region. Cub Adventure Camp - resident camp opened in 2002 near Maidens, Goochland County, Virginia. Offers year-round camping and outdoor programming which includes shooting sports, nature, swimming, aquatics, and camping. Camp S. Douglas Fleet - Short-term camping facility available for units to use during the off-season near Maidens, Goochland County, Virginia. Camp Eagle Point - 120 acre primitive camp located on Kerr Reservoir (Buggs Island Lake) in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, no potable water available. Leased from the Army Corps of Engineers.