Scouting in Missouri
Scouting in Missouri has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day. Early history (1910-1950) According to William D. Murray, a charter member of the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) when it incorporated on February 8, 1910, the first "Troop" to form in Missouri was formed by an Englishman in Sedalia, MO sometime in 1908 or 1909. In his 1937 book "The History of the Boy Scouts of America," he goes on to say that this man had even gone so far as to appoint field representatives in other states as well. The 1938 National Order of the Arrow Lodge Meeting was held at Irondale, Missouri. Boy Scouts of America in Missouri today There are six BSA local councils in Missouri. Great Rivers Council Great Rivers Council (653) is based in Columbia, Missouri and serves Scouts in 33 counties in Mid-Missouri. In 1971 Great Rivers Council merged with Lake of the Ozarks Council (314). Districts Black Diamond is located in Randolph, Schuyler, Sullivan, Putnam, Adair, Scotland, Knox, Linn, Macon, and Western Shelby, counties. Boons lick is located in Boone, Cooper and Howard counties Five Rivers is located in Cole, Osage, Gasconade and Maries counties. Grand Prairie is located in Callaway, Audrain and Montgomery counties. Kinderhook is located in Morgan, Moniteau and Camden counties. Mark Twain is located in Pike, Ralls, Lewis, Monroe, Marion and Eastern Shelby counties. Osage Trails is located in Chariton, Saline, Pettis and Benton counties. Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation In addition, the Great Rivers Council has two mobile invention labs. These labs can be hooked onto a truck and taken anywhere in the council. The Council operates Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation. Scouts BSA and Venturing Camps are offered at Hon. The camp is available for year-round use by Scout units for a variety of activities. Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is located on the Lake of the Ozarks Osage Arm at mile marker 44 near Laurie, Missouri. The Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation offers facilities and equipment available for unit use and the Kit Carson Trail, an eight-mile-long perimeter trail which winds through the hills and along the bluff overlooking the Lake. The Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is also home to the Sinquefield Invention Lab, Program Building and Welding/Blacksmithing Shop. The Sinquefield Invention Lab and Program Building was opened in May 2017, and is currently the only invention lab in the entire Boy Scouts of America. The Welding/Blacksmithing Shop opened in 2019. The facility has 9 labs: electronics & robotics, 2D design & woodworking, 3D modeling, blacksmithing, print & design, multimedia, leadership, business & ethics, and creativity. The Sinquefield Invention Lab and Program Building is used year-round as a merit-badge workshop, camping facility, and training center. With the addition of the Sinquefield Invention Lab & Program Building, the Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation is currently the only Scouts BSA camp where scouts have access to an invention lab, a COPE/Climbing course, shooting