Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Scouting Portal

The Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation, located in northern New Jersey, was a major Boy Scout training facility for almost 50 years. It was named after Mortimer L. Schiff, the father of John M. Schiff; both of whom were World Scout Committee members and notable early Boy Scouts of America (BSA) leaders.

The original reservation comprised 400 acres camp near Mendham, New Jersey and was in operation from 1932-1979. It was formally dedicated on October 18, 1933. The land was purchased for the BSA by Mrs. Jacob Schiff in memory of her son, Mortimer, who died an untimely death while President of the BSA in 1931. During this time it served as the BSA's National Training Center, the Ellsworth H. Augustus International Scout House, and the first Wood Badge courses held in the United States.

After the 1979 move of the BSA National Headquarters from New Brunswick, New Jersey to Arlington Texas, the Philmont Scout Reservation in New Mexico became the new home of the National Training Center.

Upon its closing, Nassau County Council's Camp Wauwepex in Wading River, New York was renamed to John M. Schiff Scout Reservation in honor of Moritmer's son, John.

The grave of Green Bar Bill lies within the Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation, now within the geographic scope of the Patriots Path Council. Today over 310 acres of the original 500 acres of the camp are used by the Schiff Nature Preserve.

[edit] Men of Schiff

Men of Schiff together
Taking to the world.
Scouting ways forever,
With flags and banners
Mightily Unfurled
To our Oath and Scout Law
True We'll always be
With every council
every region
Bound together in our legion
Men of Schiff are we.