Istrouma Area Council

Istrouma Area Council serves Scouts in both Louisiana and Mississippi, primarily in the Greater Baton Rouge Area and Florida Parishes. Specifically, the council includes Scouts from the following parishes: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. James, St. Tammany, Washington, and Tangipahoa. Wilkinson County is the sole Mississippi county in the council.

Istrouma Area Council (#211)
OwnerBoy Scouts of America
HeadquartersBaton Rouge, Louisiana
Location9644 Brookline Avenue
CountryUnited States
Founded1917
Council ChairMatt Caillouet
Council CommissionerPhillip Durocher
Scout ExecutiveMichael G. Beer
Website
http://www.iacbsa.org/

History

Scouting came to Louisiana shortly after the establishment of the Boy Scouts of America in 1910. Rev. T. M. Hunter of the First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge established the first troop in that year, and two years later, affiliated the troop with BSA. The Istrouma Area Council was officially established in 1919. In 1923, the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge presented the council with a 15-acre (61,000 m2) campsite in Greenwell Springs called Camp Istrouma.[1] After the council outgrew the camp, they raised money to move to the Avondale Scout Reservation located in East Feliciana Parish, doing so by the late 1950s. Istrouma was later sold to the United Methodist Church and serves as a Christian camp to this day.

In 1917, the Baton Rouge Council (#211) was formed, changing its name to the East Baton Rouge Parish Council (#211) in 1922. It changed its name to the Istrouma Area Council (#211) in 1924. In 1924, the Old Hickory Area Council (#657) was formed, merging into the Istrouma Area Council (#211) in 1931. [2]

Since 1935, Scouts from the council serve as ushers and stretcher bearers at LSU home football games at Tiger Stadium.

Organization

The council is administratively divided into four districts:

  • Nawanganti- Serves cities of Central, Baker, and Zachary in East Baton Rouge Parish, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Livingston, and Pointe Coupee parishes in Louisiana and Wilkerson County in Mississippi.
  • Sewell-Eagle- Serves the City of Baton Rouge in East Baton Rouge Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, Iberville Parish, Saint James Parish, and Ascension Parish.
  • Nashoba- Serves Saint Helena Parish, Tangipahoa Parish (including City of Hammond), Washington Parish, and St. Tammany Parish except for the City of Slidell.
  • Red Stick- The Boy Scouts of America, Istrouma Area Council collaborated with the East Baton Rouge Housing Authority in 1999 to bring scouting to inner city youth in the Baton Rouge area. These youth don’t have the funding, transportation, or volunteer leadership available to participate in Scouting in the traditional sense. Scouting units that belong to this program are members of the Red Stick District. In 2020, this expanded to include after school Scouting programs as select elementary schools.

Camps

Avondale Scout Reservation
Avondale Scout Reservation
LocationEast Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
Coordinates30°52′10″N 90°57′44″W
Founded1959
RangerEJ Moore
Website
https://www.iacbsa.org/avondalesr

Avondale Scout Reservation is a 1,665-acre (7 km2) reservation for Scouting located in East Feliciana Parish, three miles (5 km) east of Clinton, on Louisiana Highway 10. It opened in 1959 and became the default campground for Istrouma after Camp Istrouma could no longer serve the needs of the council. There are four camping areas: Camp Avondale, Camp McGee, Camp Tigator, and Woodbadge Hill. The summer camp, Camp Avondale, is located at the north end of the reservation and is closest to the front entrance, check-in station, and ranger's houses on Highway 10. There are 17 campsites with a capacity for 360 campers. Most campsites are named after various birds, Indian tribes, and wildlife. The campsites are adjacent to Lake Istrouma with its swimming and canoeing facilities. Camp Avondale also houses a dining hall, Stem Building, Health Lodge, climbing hall, and more facilities built to support the Summer Camp program. Camp McGee is at the south end of the reservation just inside of the back gate on Louisiana Highway 63. There are 26 campsites surrounding Lake McGee and south of Lake Tigator, all named after cities and towns represented by the council. Camp McGee also has two bathhouses, a Cub Scout program building, and a sailing base. Camp Tigator is home to Paul Perkins Lodge and Long House dormitory. Numerous leadership trainings and council meetings are held here. Woodbadge Hill is located one-quarter mile southwest of Lake Istrouma and has ten primitive campsites.

Camp Avondale hosts week-long summer camps for Boy Scouts in June in which Scouts can earn merit badges, participate in COPE, First Year Scouting, Shooting Scope, Aquatic, and various other activities. Other annual events include, but are not limited to: Winter Camp (held during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day), District Camporees, Cub Scout Family Camps, and NYLT events. The camp sports a dining hall, which has been referred to as "Roadkill Cafe" since the early 2000s. In addition, there is, among other buildings, an outdoor chapel, rifle and shotgun shooting ranges, an archery range, boat dock, blacksmith's shop, and trading post. In 2001, the Manship family of Baton Rouge built a campground to accommodate handicapped Scouts. Since then, private restrooms and showers, running water, improved sewage and plumbing, better roads, and electricity have all been added to campsites for use by Scouts and Scouters.[3] In addition, existing buildings have been renovated and expanded.

The southern part of the Avondale Scout Reservation, specifically, the area around Lakes Tigator and McGee, is used by Cub Scouts.

Camp Carruth

Camp Carruth is located in West Baton Rouge Parish off Rosedale Road (30.463°N 91.264°W / 30.463; -91.264). Istrouma Area Council purchased the land in the late 1990s, and this 99-acre (400,000 m2) campsite is used by Cub Scout and Boy Scout Units for both day events and overnight tent camping.

Order of the Arrow

Quinipissa Lodge #479 is used by the local Order of the Arrow units. It was established in 1952, and in 1969, the Caddo House at Camp Avondale was dedicated for its use.[4]

See also

References
  1. "A Century of Scouting". Baton Rouge Advocate. 2010-03-07.
  2. Hook, James; Franck, Dave; Austin, Steve (1982). An Aid to Collecting Selected Council Shoulder Patches with Valuation.
  3. "Campsite opens at Avondale - Manship site part of bigger scheme". Baton Rouge Advocate. 2001-08-12.
  4. "Quinipissa Lodge #479".
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