San Gabriel Valley Council

San Gabriel Valley Council #40
Owner Boy Scouts of America
Headquarters Pasadena, California
Location Los Angeles County
Country United States
Founded Jan. 1, 1919
Website
http://www.sgvcbsa.org

Located in Los Angeles County, California's San Gabriel Valley, the Boy Scouts of America's San Gabriel Valley Council (#40) is one of five councils serving Los Angeles County. It is headquartered in Pasadena.

History

With the founding of the BSA in 1910, the first goal of the San Gabriel Valley scout leaders was to organize as new troops. Paid professionals, many of whom were YMCA leaders, were recruited to help start new Troops and spread the new scouting program. They were sent out into the San Gabriel Valley towns to organize new troops and recruit leaders. By March 1919, there were nine active troops with 190 boys in the SGV. The Pasadena Council (also known as the Pasadena District Council) of the Boy Scouts of America was organized March 3, 1919, with jurisdiction over Pasadena, Altadena and Lamanda Park.

A charter was granted by the BSA National Headquarters dated April 1, 1919 to the Pasadena District Council. Tallman Trask was hired to be the first Scout Executive. Trask had been a District Executive for the Los Angeles Council. He had also served as Los Angeles' Camp Director. Prior to joining the BSA, Trask was an executive for the YMCA and had run several camps for them. By October 1, 1919, there were 15 active troops with 299 Scouts.

The Council's name was changed in 1929 to Pasadena-San Gabriel Valley Council to better reflect the geographic area served by the Council. In 1951 the name was changed to San Gabriel Valley Council to shorten it and better identify the 29 cities and towns that made it up.[1]

Organization

Camps

Trask Scout Reservation

Trask Scout Reservation
Location Monrovia, California
Coordinates 34°11′31″N 117°57′45″W / 34.1919°N 117.9625°W
Website
http://www.sgvcbsa.org/programs/camping/camp-trask

Trask Scout Reservation is in the City of Monrovia, Ca. in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. It is located above the sawpit dam off of Monrovia Canyon Park.[17] Camp Trask offers, Cub Scout Programs, Family Camp programs and Boy Scout Programs on a year-round basis. The Camp has a full size Fort used for many program activities, called Fort Rotary. The camp is in a riparian zone ecosystem. Canyon stream and the camp are shaded by deciduous trees, white alders and bigleaf maples, evergreen canyon and coast live oaks.

History

Originally known as Monrovia Scout Reservation, Camp Trask was bought in 1966. The Camp was dedicated as Tallman H. Trask Scout Reservation on May 13, 1972.

Holcomb Valley Scout Ranch

Holcomb Valley Scout Ranch
Location Fawnskin, California
Coordinates 34°18′10″N 116°53′46″W / 34.3028°N 116.8960°W
Website
http://www.sgvcbsa.org/programs/camping/holcomb-valley-scout-reservation

Holcomb Valley Scout Ranch, 7500' elevation, is located north of Big Bear Lake in the old mining district of Belleville in the Holcomb Valley on the site of the old Hitchcock Ranch. Holcomb Valley Scout Ranch is North of the town of Fawnskin. The road from Fawnskin to Holcomb Valley Scout Ranch the 2N09, Polique Canyon Rd, has improved in 2011. Van Dusen Canyon Rd can also be used get to the Ranch. The Camp offers a week-long Oak Badge-National Youth Leadership Training class and offered a Boy Scout summer resident camp until 2012 when the program was suspended indefinitely.[18] One Hike offered is to the Big Bear Discovery Center.[19] Cougar Crest hike to Bertha Peak gives an amazing view of Big Bear Lake.[20] Spring creek trail offers a more level long hike. South of the camp, not far away is the Pacific Crest Trail. To the East and near the camp is a USFS[21] public camp ground Holcomb Valley Camp Ground.[22]

History

Holcomb Valley Scout Ranch was formerly part of Old Baldy Council. The Scout Ranch was turned over to the San Gabriel Valley Council in 2005. The Old Baldy Council took title to the property in 1965 from William Hitchcock. The Hitchcock Ranch is still part of the Holcomb Valley Scout Ranch.[23] Guy Reide, Old Baldy's Scout Executive(1949 to 1966) in 1965 had the vision and worked with William Hitchcock to have the Ranch turned into a Scout Camp. Loren Baldwin became the first camp ranger and Holcomb Valley held its first Boy Scout summer resident camp in 1974. Holcomb Valley is named after William F. Holcomb,[24] who discovered gold there and staked a claim in May 1860 with his partner. Holcomb became known for his marksmanship. After 10 years of prospecting he still had no major success. As food sources were diminishing, some of the prospectors hired Holcomb to hunt for grizzly bear to provide food for the long winter months. While trailing a bear up Polique Canyon he found Holcomb Valley. Tracking the injured animal, he passed a quartz ledge shining with gold.[25] Bonanza and many other western films and TV shows were shot in Holcomb Valley.[26][27] For a short time under Old Baldy Council the camp was called "Camp Lipscomb" after US Congressman Glenard P. Lipscomb.

Camp Cherry Valley

Camp Cherry Valley
Location Santa Catalina Island, California
Coordinates 33°27′01″N 118°30′11″W / 33.4503°N 118.503°W
Website
http://www.sgvcbsa.org/programs/camping/camp-cherry-valley

Camp Cherry Valley is a summer camp on the leeward side of Catalina Island, California, operated by the San Gabriel Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America. It is located two coves north of Two Harbors at Cherry Cove. The camp, valley and cove get their name from the Catalina cherry trees native to the island.[28] It also offers non-Scouting programs on a year-round basis.

Program and activities

Camp Cherry Valley has operated as a Boy Scout camp since the 1920s, but other groups use it as well. CIMI, the Catalina Island Marine Institute, runs a program from September through November, taking a winter break then recommencing February through May. The CIMI program caters to youth groups other than boy scouts. Being right on the Pacific ocean, the camp allows superb snorkling and scuba diving. During the summer the calm waters stay around seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Scouts sleep in two-person canvas tents set on wooden platforms located up the canyon under the cherry trees.

To reach the camp, Scouts take a two-hour chartered ferry across the channel, a 22-mile distance from San Pedro or Long Beach to Two Harbors and then hike 1.3 miles to the camp. The camp promotes itself to scouts with the Tribe of Torqua. The "Tribe" was instituted by Council Executive H. Benjamin "Skipper" Robinson as a special group of honor campers. The Tribe of Torqua remains strong to this day, with thousands of youngsters in its ranks.[29]

Tribe of Torqua patch

Hikes

As of 2013, five main hikes were available for Scouts:

History

There is a small silver mine[30] located in the cove left from the time the western part of Catalina Island was full of such mines. The mine was shut down by orders from Abraham Lincoln, after he had got rumors the Confederate army may attack California to acquire gold and silver to fund their war efforts.[31] In 1864 Union Troops were put on the island to stop mining.[32]

Throughout the 1920s-1930s, Scouts would travel via train from Pasadena to San Pedro, then take the Great White Steamer, SS Catalina, to Avalon. After arriving in Avalon, they would then travel up to Cherry Cove on the Betty-O, a Wrigley tour boat, now a Marina del Rey fishing boat.[33]

Cherry Valley opened in 1923. It was very primitive that first year. There was no pier, so campers had to wade ashore or be shuttled from the Betty-O via rowboats. Scouts ate at an "open air" Dining Hall and were plagued by yellow jackets. In 1947 scout traveled directly from San Pedro to Cherry Cove on the H-10 Water taxi. They would continue to travel via water taxi until 1973.[34]

The original 1937 lighthouse was blown down in a storm in 1998. It was rebuilt in 2003 and christened "Thompson's Light" in honor of Dr. Henry Thompson

The 1935 film Mutiny on the Bounty used the Cherry cove as part of its filming.[31][35][36]

Ta Tanka Lodge

Ta Tanka Lodge
Headquarters Pasadena, California
Location Los Angeles County
Country United States
Founded May 31, 1952
Website
http://www.tatankalodge.org/

The San Gabriel Valley Council's Order of the Arrow lodge[37][38] is the Ta Tanka Lodge (#373). Ta Tanka Lodge started with 120 members who chose the Sioux word "TA TANKA" meaning Bull Buffalo as its name and as their totem a White Buffalo.[39] The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The OA's Ta Tanka Lodge as three goals: recognize outstanding Scouts, promote BSA camping and provide cheerful service to the SGVC, including its Districts,[40] Packs and Troops .[41] Since 1933 the Ta Tanka Lodge has hosted a weekend camp out the weekend after Thanksgiving call Desert Caravan, held in the various campgrounds in the Mojave Desert. Desert Caravan is open to Troops and families of the SGVC with events like treasure hunt, Branding Irons, team games-fun competitive events, dutch oven cobbler cook-off, chili cook-off and a campfire program.[42]

Ta Tanka Lodge has four local Chapters:

See also

External links

References

  1. Hook, James; Franck, Dave; Austin, Steve (1982). An Aid to Collecting Selected Council Shoulder Patches with Valuation.
  2. Golden Eagle District Web site
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "San Gabriel Valley Council | Boy Scouts of America". Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  4. Golden Eagle District history
  5. Lucky Baldwin District Web site
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 "San Gabriel Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America: 2006-2007 Council Calendar, Activity Planning Guide, and Business Directory". Pasadena, CA: San Gabriel Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America. 2006.
  7. Valle Del Sol District web site
  8. "Holt Scout Ranch". Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  9. Camp Cumorah Crest Brochure
  10. Forest Lawn Foundation
  11. Mt.Lowe History
  12. ALTADENA: The official Timeline of Altadena History, compiled by Mike Manning
  13. Map of CAMP HUNTINGTON Rd, Altadena, CA 91001
  14. getmap Camp San Antonio
  15. Cal. Hometown map Camp San Antonio
  16. Topo Zone Camp San Antonio
  17. The Sawpit Canyon Fire Road (2N30)
  18. "Holcomb Valley Scout Reservation". Archived from the original on 7 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  19. Big Bear Discovery Center Web site
  20. modernhiker.com on Bertha Peak
  21. USFS camps
  22. Holcomb Valley Camp Ground map
  23. Big Bear historical timeline
  24. Holcomb Valley Gold Discovery by L. Burr Belden
  25. Big Bear Country - Holcomb Valley
  26. Topo Quest map of Holcomb Valley
  27. Filming locations for "Bonanza" (1959) from imdb.com
  28. Prunus lyonii, CATALINA CHERRY
  29. USSSP| Tribe of Torqua
  30. Catalina Island History
  31. 31.0 31.1 Catalina Island History
  32. Catalina Island History
  33. Pasadena Star-News, Home to Pasadena, Page A7, column 1, Sunday, September 18, 2011
  34. Pasadena History.org
  35. Camp Cherry Valley Alumni Association
  36. facebook.com CCV
  37. tatankalodge.org Lodge_History
  38. OA history from U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. Website
  39. tatankalodge.org history
  40. Organization of the Boy Scouts of America from U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. Website
  41. BSA OA web site
  42. tatankalodge.org, Desert Caravan 2011
  43. Hunkpapa Web site
  44. Kiowa Web site
  45. Oglala Lakota Web site
  46. Teton Dakota Web site