| Scouting in Wisconsin | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Cub Scouts | |||
 Eau Claire Girl scouts | |||
 Scouting portal | |||
Wisconsin's history with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts spans from 1910 to the present day. Both programs have independently served thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
In 1920, theAppleton Council, and theNeenah-Menasha Council were both formed. They merged to become theValley Council (#635) in 1922. In 1924 Valley Council changed its name to theFox River Valley Council (#635), changing it back to Valley in 1925. In 1920, theFond Du Lac Council (#622) was founded, changing its name to theBadger Council (#622) in 1926. In 1919, theManitowoc Council (#625) was formed, changing its name to theManitowoc County Council (#625) in 1929, changing its name to theWaumegasako Council (#625) in 1940. The Waumegasako Council merged into the Bay-Lakes Council (#635) in 1973. In 1920, theGreen Bay Council was founded, closing in 1922. In 1930, theGreen Bay Area Council was founded again, changing its name to theNicollet Area Council (#621) in 1934. In 1919, theOshkosh Council (#630) was founded, changing its name to theTwin Lakes Council (#630) in 1935. In 1919, theSheboygan County Council (#632) was founded, changing its name to theKettle Moraine Council (#632) in 1935.[1]
TheOconomowoc Council was formed in 1917. It disbanded in 1921. TheJanesville Council was formed in 1917. It disbanded in 1917. TheSturgeon Bay Council was formed in 1918. It disbanded in 1919. TheAshland Council was formed in 1918. It disbanded in 1920.[1]
Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation is a Boy Scouts of America property and High Adventure base located in Northern Wisconsin and serves the Scouts of the Northeast Illinois Council based in Highland Park, Illinois. Originally a logging camp, the Scouts purchased the land and first had campers in 1929. The camp is 1,560 acres (6 km2) in size.[2]
The Bay-Lakes Council (#635) was formed in 1973 by a merger of the following councils: Badger (based in Fond du Lac), Waumegesako (based in Manitowoc), Nicolet Area (based in Green Bay), Valley (based in Menasha), Twin Lakes (based in Oshkosh), and Kettle Moraine (based in Sheboygan). The Hiawathaland Council joined in 2012.[3][4]
There are sevenScouting America local councils headquartered inWisconsin. Additionally, some adjacent councils inIllinois andMinnesota serve portions of Wisconsin. Besides these councils, some out of state councils maintain camp facilities in Wisconsin.
| Bay-Lakes Council (#635) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1973 | ||
| Website Bay-Lakes Council | |||
The Bay-Lakes Council is headquartered inAppleton,Wisconsin. Bay-Lakes Council #635 was formed on July 1, 1973, and is geographically one of the larger Scouting America councils in the United States.
Bay-Lakes Council was formed in 1973 by a merger of the following councils: Badger (based in Fond du Lac), Waumegesako (based in Manitowoc), Nicolet Area (based in Green Bay), Valley (based in Menasha), Twin Lakes (based in Oshkosh), and Kettle Moraine (based in Sheboygan). The Hiawathaland Council, in Michigan's UP, joined in 2012 and was transferred as a district toMichigan Crossroads Council in 2025.[3]
Blackhawk Area Council is headquartered inRockford,Illinois and serves southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois.
| Chippewa Valley Council (#637) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1928 | ||
| Website Chippewa Valley Council | |||
The Chippewa Valley Council is headquartered in Eau Claire.[5]
In 1922, theWatertown Council was formed, disbanding in 1925. In 1927, theChippewa Falls Council was formed, disbanding in 1928. In 1927, theEau Claire Council (#621) was formed, changing its name to theChippewa and Eau Claire Counties Council (#621), changing its name to theOjibwa Council (#621) in 1925. Ojibwa became theChippewa Valley Council (#637) in 1928.[1]
| Gateway Area Council (#624) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1925 | ||
| Website Gateway Area Council | |||
The Gateway Area Council, headquartered in La Crosse, serves Scouts inWisconsin andMinnesota.[6]
In 1921, theLa Crosse Council (#624) was formed, changing its name to the Gateway Area Council in 1925.[1][3]
| Glacier's Edge Council (#628) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Madison, Wisconsin | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1929 | ||
| Website Glacier's Edge Council | |||
The Glacier's Edge Council provides Scouting services to communities in the counties of Adams, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Richland, Sauk, Rock, Walworth in Wisconsin as well as Winnebago and Boone counties in Illinois. It is composed of representatives of more than 250 community organizations holding charters to operate a program of the Boy Scouts of America. The council meets annually in May to elect officers and board members. It was organized in 2005 growing from a consolidation of the Four Lakes and Sinnissippi Councils and granted a charter by the Boy Scouts of America.
TheJanesville Council was formed in 1917. It disbanded in 1917.[1] In 1919, theMadison Council (#628) was formed, changing its name to theFour Lakes Council (#628) in 1929. In 2005, Four Lakes changed its name toGlacier's Edge Council (#628). In 1920, theBeloit Council (#620) was formed, changing its name to theBeloit Area Council (#620) in 1928. In 1925, theMcHenry County Council (#695) (Illinois) was formed, merging into theBeloit Area Council (#620) in 1928. In 1920, theBeloit Area Council (#620) changed its name to theState Line Council (#620) in 1936. In 1928, theIndian Trails Council (#633) was formed. State Line and Indian Trails merged to become theSinnissippi Council (#626) in 1966. Sinnissippi "consolidated" with Four Lakes Council of Madison to become Glacier's Edge Council (#628) in 2005.[1][3][4]
Districts:[7]
Camps:[8]
Indianhead Council merged with Viking Council in 2005 to create Northern Star Council. The Indianhead Council was headquartered inSaint Paul,Minnesota, and includingRamsey andWashington Counties in Minnesota, and much of western Wisconsin. Its name came from the shape of the Wisconsin-Minnesota border, which is said to resemble that of the head of an Indian. As well as the office building in Saint Paul, facilities includedTomahawk Scout Reservation nearRice Lake,Wisconsin,[10] Phillippo Scout Reservation nearCannon Falls,Minnesota, Fred C. Andersen Scout Camp nearHudson,Wisconsin, andKiwanis Scout Camp nearMarine on St. Croix,Minnesota.
| Potawatomi Area Council (#651) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1931 | ||
| Website Potawatomi Area Council | |||
The Potawatomi Area Council is headquartered inWaukesha,Wisconsin. The Potawatomi Area Council serves all of Waukesha County and portions of Dodge, Jefferson, Walworth and Washington Counties. The Wag-O-Shag Lodge is theOrder of the Arrow lodge. Potawatomi Area Council has one summer camp named Camp Long Lake.
ThePotawatomi Area Council (#651) was formed in 1931.[1]
| Samoset Council (#62u) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1931 | ||
| Website Samoset Council | |||
Samoset Council is headquartered in Weston (near Wausau), and serves the north central part of Wisconsin and was founded in 1920. It gets its name from an early Boy Scout camp in the town of Harrison, named Camp Sam-O-Set which closed in 1934, a year before the construction of Camp Tesomas.
In 1919, theOneida County Council was formed, changing its name to theRhinelander Council in 1922. In 1928, Rhinelander merged into Marathon and Lincoln Counties Council (#627) in 1928. In 1921, theMerrill Council (#627) was formed, merging into theMarathon and Lincoln Counties Council (#627) in 1926. In 1921, theWausau Council (#644) was formed, merging into theMarathon and Lincoln Counties Council (#627) in 1926.[1]
In 1917 theWisconsin Rapids Council was formed, changing its name to Wood County in 1925. In 1921, theStevens Point Council (#633) was formed, merging into theWood County Council (#636) in 1927. The Wood County Council (#636) merged into theCentral Wisconsin Council (#636) in 1929. Central Wisconsin merged intoSamoset Council (#627) in 1937. In 1921, theMarinette Council (#626) was formed, merging into theMarathon and Lincoln Counties Council (#627) in 1930. In 1930, Marathon and Lincoln Counties changed its name toSamoset.[1]
| Three Harbors Council (#636) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | ||
| Country | United States | ||
| Founded | 1931 | ||
| Website Three Harbors Council | |||
In 1915, theMilwaukee Council (#629) was formed, changing its name to theMilwaukee County Council (#629) in 1929. In 1917, theRacine Council (#631) was formed, changing its name to theRacine County Council (#631) in 1927. In 1917, theKenosha Council (#623) was formed, changing its name to theKenosha County Council (#623) in 1929. In 1961, the council changed its name toKenosha Council (#623). In 1972, Kenosha Council and Racine County Council merged to become theSoutheast Wisconsin Council (#634).[1]
In September 2011, Southeast Wisconsin Council and Milwaukee County Council merged to form Three Harbors Council.[11]
Districts:[12]
The Kanwa tho Lodge #636 is the Order of the Arrow lodge for Three Harbors Council. It was founded on January 6, 2013, through the consolidation of Mascoutens Lodge #8 and Mikano Lodge #231. The name and totem were chosen by the youth of the new lodge on the morning of July 8, 2012. Kanwa tho Lodge's totem is a panther, and "Kanwa tho" translates to "panther band".[13]
TheAshland Council was formed in 1918. It disbanded in 1920.[1] Headquartered in Hermantown, Minnesota, Voyageurs Area Council serves Scouts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. ItsOrder of the Arrow Lodge is Ka'niss Ma'ingan Lodge #196.
| Girl Scouting in Wisconsin | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Manitou Wisconsin Southeast Badgerland Lakes & Pines River Valleys Northwestern Great Lakes GSUSA councils serving Wisconsin | |||
| Scouting portal | |||
There are three Girl Scout councils serving Washington.
There are four councils of theGirl Scouts of the USA headquartered inWisconsin. Additionally, two adjacent councils inMinnesota serve portions of Wisconsin.
| Badgerland Council | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Website Badgerland Council | |||
Badgerland Council serves more than 14,200 girls and has some 4,500 adult volunteers in south-central and south-western Wisconsin. It was formed in June 2009 by the merge of three councils and part of a fourth: Girl Scouts of Badger Council, Girl Scouts of Black Hawk Council, Girl Scouts of Riverland Council, and the Wisconsin part of Girl Scouts of Green Hills Council.[14]
| Manitou Council | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Website Manitou Council | |||
Manitou Council serves 7,500 girls in Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington counties in Wisconsin.[15]
It was slated to be merged with several other councils into Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes. In December 2008, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals gave a preliminary injunction enjoining the national organization from changing the status of Manitou Council.[16]
This council was formed on January 1, 2008, from the merger of Girl Scouts – Land of Lakes Council, Girl Scouts – Northern Pine Council and a portion of the Peacepipe and the Pine to Prairie Councils.[18] Only one of this council's camps is located in Wisconsin.
Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys serves 32,000 girls and 11,000 volunteers in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.[19] It was created in 2007 as the result of a merger of five Minnesota councils.[20] Only one of its camps is located in Wisconsin.
| Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Website Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes | |||
In partnership with over 6,000 adult volunteers, Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes (GSNWGL) serves nearly 15,000 girls in 58 counties in northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The council's jurisdiction spans about 400 miles from east to west and about 300 miles from north to south.[21]
It was formed on May 1, 2008, by the merger of Girl Scouts of Birch Trails Council, Girl Scouts of the Fox River Area, Girl Scouts of Indian Waters, Girl Scouts of Lac Baie Council, Girl Scouts of Peninsula Waters and Girl Scouts of Woodland Council.
| Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| Website Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast | |||
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE) serves some 33,000 girls in Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha, as well as the southern part of Ozaukee and eastern parts of Dodge and Jefferson counties.[24]
