Scouting Time Line

1844     YMCA Founded in London

1850     Daniel Carter Beard Born

1857     Robert Baden Powell Born

1860     Ernest Thompson Seton Born

1865     Rudyard Kipling Born

1876     First Boy's Club established in New York City

1882     American Boys Handybook written by Daniel Carter Beard

1894     Jungle Book written by Rudyard Kipling

1899     Aids To Scouting published


1900     William Hillcourt Born

1902     Woodcraft Indians founded by Ernest Thompson Seton

1905     Sons of Daniel Boone started by Daniel Carter Beard

1906     Boy's Clubs Founded

1907     Brownsea Island experiment

1908     Scouting For Boys published


1910     BSA Incorporated on February 8

1910     First BSA camp held at Silver Bay, Lake George, N.Y.

1910     Campfire Girls founded

1911     BSA National Scout Office opens in New York with 7 employees

1911     Handbook For Boys published

1911     First Heroism awards presented

1912     Scouts enrolled from every State

1912     First National Good Turn: A Sane and Safe Fourth of July

1912     Baden-Powell marries Olave Soames

1912     Boy's Life purchased

1912     Sea Scouting becomes part of BSA

1912     First Eagle Scout

1912     Girl Scouts of America founded

1913     First local councils chartered

1913     Scouting Magazine created

1913     Handbook For Scoutmasters published

1914     The troop committee plan developed

1914     The first William T. Hornaday medal awarded

1915     The Lone Scouts of America organized by William Boyce

1915     Order of the Arrow founded in Philidelphia

1915     57 merit badge books issued

1916     Federal Charter granted by Congress on June 15

1916     BSA constitution and by-laws adopted

1917     Veteran Scout established

1917     BSA begins home-front service, "Help win the war"

1918     BSA rendered Nation-wide first-aid service in influenza epidemic

1918     Standards established for Boy Scout camps

1919     First Wood Badge course held at Gilwell Park near London, England

1919     First annual National Boy Scout Week conducted


1920     First World Jamboree in Olympia, London, England attended by 301 American Scouts for a total of 8,000 Scouts from 34 countries.

1920     Baden-Powell made Chief Scout of the World

1920     Scout International Bureau established in London

1921     "New York Times" inaugurated Sunday Boy Scouts section

1923     International left handclasp adopted

1924     Lone Scouts of America merged with BSA

1924     International Scout constitution and by-laws adopted

1924     2nd World Jamboree in Copenhagen, Denmark attended by 56 American Scouts for a total of 4,500 Scouts from 22 countries

1924     "Every Scout a Swimmer" campaign started

1925     Boy Scouts of America membership exceeds 1 million

1925     Junior Assistant Scoutmaster position created

1926     Silver Buffalo first presented, the first to Baden-Powell and the second to the unknown Scout

1926     YMCA Indian Guides program started.

1927     First major revision of Handbook for Boys

1927     Eagle Palms introduced

1927     National office moved to 2 Park Avenue in New York

1928     Sea Scout, Paul Siple, accompanies Admiral Byrd to the Antarctic

1929     Registration of all Scouters authorized

1929     3rd World Jamboree in Arrowe Park, Birkenhead, England attended by 1,300 American Scouts for a total of 50,000 Scouts from 73 countries


1930     Cubbing started

1931     First Silver Beaver awards presented by local councils

1931     First religious award established by the Roman Catholic Church

1932     Mortimer L. Schiff Memorial Scout Reservation presented to BSA

1933     4th World Jamboree in Godollo, Hungary attended by 406 American Scouts for a total of 26,000 Scouts from 46 countries

1933     Schiff Scout Reservation established

1933     Exploring and Rovering programs authorized

1934     Order of the Arrow program approved

1934     Scouts answer FDR's request to collect food & clothing for needy

1935     Silver Jubilee of Scouting

1935     National Jamboree cancelled due to epidemic of infantile paralysis

1935     Membership passes 1,000,000

1935     Senior Scouting introduced for older boys

1936     First Wood Badge courses held in USA following English syllabus

1936     New Handbook For Scoutmasters published

1937     1st National Jamboree, Washington, DC attendance 27,232

1937     5th World Jamboree in Vogelenzang, Holland  attended by 814 American Scouts for a total of  29,000 Scouts from 54 countries

1938     Waite Phillips gives BSA 36,000 acres in NM for Philturn Rocky Mountain Scoutcamp

1939     Philturn Rockeymountain Scoutcamp opens

1939     Air Scouting added


1940     Royalties from Berlin's "God Bless America" finance urban Scouting

1941     Scouts begin campaign selling Defense Bonds and Stamps

1941     Webelos rank created in Cubbing

1941     Philturn renamed Philmont Scout Ranch

1941     Baden-Powell passes away

1941     "Uncle Dan" Beard passes away

1942     Scouts start recycling campaign for war effort

1943     James West retires

1943     First Silver Antelope awards presented by a region

1943     First Blue and Gold banquet

1943     Long trousers and Scout cap introduced for Boy Scouts

1944     Word Fellowship Fund started to help Scouting in wartorn nations

1945     Cubbing changed to Cub Scouting

1947     Long trousers introduced for Cubs

1947     6th World Jamboree in Molsson, France attended by 1,151 American Scouts for a total of 24,000 Scouts from 38 countries

1948     1st BSA Wood Badge course held at Schiff, 2nd course held at Philmont

1948     James West passes away

1949     Explorer Scouting established from Senior Scouting program

1949     Scouts age limits lowered to 8 for Cub Scouts, 11 for Boy Scouts, and 14 for Explorers

1950     2nd National Jamboree, Valley Forge, PA attendance 47,163

1950     First Boy Scout stamp issued by the Post Office

1951     7th World Jamboree in Bad Ischel, Austria attended by 700 American Scouts for a total of  13,000 Scouts from  41 countries

1952     BSA conducts national get-out-the-vote campaign

1953     3rd National Jamboree, Irving Ranch, CA attendance 45,401

1954     National office moves to New Jersey

1954     National Conservation Good Turn

1954     Webelos Dens introduced to provide a bridge to Boy Scouts

1955     100,000 chartered units reached

1955     First Pinewood Derby

1955     8th World Jamboree in Niagra-on-the-Lake, Canada attended by 1,500 Americam Scouts for a total of  11,000 Scouts from 71 countries

1956     BSA conducts national get-out-the-vote campaign

1957     4th National Jamboree, Valley Forge, PA attendance 50,100

1957     9th World Jamboree in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, England attended by 1,700 American Scouts  for a total of  32,000 Scouts from 82 countries

1957     50th anniversary of the world Boy Scout movement celebrated

1958     BSA distributes Civil Defense emergency handbooks

1959     Bobcat pin introduced

1959     Scouting magazine begins using full color

1959     Modern Exploring program introduced

1959     10th World Jamboree in Laguna, Phillipine Islands attended by 309 American Scouts  for a total of 12,000 Scouts from 44 countries


1960     BSA's Golden Jubilee, commemorative stamp issued by Post Office

1960     The Johnston Historial Museum in New Brunswick, N.J. dedicated 

1960     5th National Jamboree, Colorado Springs, CO attendance 53,378

1960     BSA conducts national get-out-the-vote campaign

1961     BSA Inter-Racial Service begins projects in public housing

1962     First National Explorer Delegate Conference held in Ann Arbor, MI

1963     11th World Jamboree in Marathon, Greece attended by 621 American Scouts for  a total of  14,000 Scouts from 88 countries

1964     6th National Jamboree, Valley Forge, PA attendance 52,000

1965     Inner-City Rural Program launched

1967     BSA Wood Badge change emphasis from Scout skills to leadership

1967     Commemorative tribute statue in front of White House dedicated November 7th

1965     500,000th Eagle badge presented

1966     Revised charter and by-laws adopted

1967     Ernest Thompson Seton Library and museum at Philmont dedicated

1967     Updated Cub Scout program introduced. Lion rank discontinued, Webelos Scout program begun

1967     12th World Jamboree, Farragut State Park, Idaho  attended by 4,435 American Scouts  for a total of 12,000 Scouts from 105 countries

1969     Girls eligible to participate as non-registered Explorer Scouts

1969     7th National Jamboree, Farragut State Park, ID attendance 35,000


1970     First National Explorer Olympics held at Colorado State Univ.

1971     Cub Scout promise drops to be square and adds to help other people

1971     SOAR (Save Our American Resources) program began

1971     Maine National High Adventure Area opened

1971     Exploring magazine published

1971     Silver Buffalo awarded to President Richard Nixon

1971     Girls eligible to register as full fledged Explorer Scouts

1971     First Cub Scout Woodbadge course

1971     13th World Jamboree, Asagiri Heights near Fujinomiya City, Japan attended by 7,947 American Scouts for a total of  24,000 Scouts from 87 countries

1971     First Silver World awards presented by BSA for international service

1972     New Scout Handbook removes outdoor skill requirements for 1st Class

1972     Improved Scouting program introduced

1972     Operation Reach against drug abuse introduced

1973     8th National Jamboree, Farragut State Park, ID and Moraine State Park, PA attendance 64,000

1973     Updated Cub Socut program introduced

1973     Washington, D.C. bureau established to represent National office

1973     National Eagle Scout Association formed

1974     BSA starts weekend Wood Badge courses

1974     First woman elected national Explorer president

1975     14th World Jamboree, Lillehammer, Norway attended by 2,500 American Scouts for a total of  17,000 Scouts from 91 countries

1976     First Cub Scout Trainer Wood Badge course held in Alabama

1976     BSA allows women to attend Wood Badge

1976     Women allowed to become Cubmasters

1977     9th National Jamboree, Moraine State Park, PA attendance 28,600

1978     Local Council camps made available for family camping

1978     Revised God and Country program announced

1978     Age restrictions removed for severely handicapped Scouts

1978     Outdoor skill reinstated for 1st Class rank

1979     The Official Boy Scout Handbook reflects return of outdoor emphasis

1979     National Headquarters moved to Irving, Texas

1979     15th World Jamboree in Iran canceled

1979     Cub Scout Trainers Wood Badge approved


1980     New uniforms designed by Oscar de la Renta

1980     50th anniversary of Cub Scouting

1980     Fire destroys second floor of the National offices

1980     Eastern distribution center moves to North Carolina

1980     BSA distributes national census fliers

1981     10th National Jamboree, Fort A.P.Hill, VA attendance 29,765

1981     New Scoutmaster Handbook issued

1981     Murray, Kentucky picked as the site for Boy Scout Museum

1982     Career Awareness Exploring becomes official

1982     Prepare for Today program started for latchkey children

1982     Tiger Cubs introduced

1982     The Cub Scout Leader Book published to replace five different leader books

1982     The 1,000,000th Eagle Scout registered

1982     Shaping Tommorrow project introduced

1983     15th World Jamboree, Kananaskis Country, Canada attended by 3,936 American Scouts for a total of  15,600 Scouts from 102 countries

1984     The third edition of the Fieldbook published

1984     Family Camping Association started

1984     Varsity Scouting launched

1985     11th National Jamboree, Fort A.P.Hill, VA attendance 32,615

1987     Anti-Drug Campaign

1987-88     16th World Jamboree, Cataract Park, Sydney, Australia attended by 3,063 American Scouts for a total of 14,634 Scouts from 98 countries

1988     First Scouting For Food

1989     Venture Program introduced

1989     12th National Jamboree, Fort A.P.Hill, VA attendance 32,717


1990     Pope John Paul presented with BSA's Distinguished Citizen of the World Commendation

1990     10th edition of Boy Socut handbook introduced

1990     Center for Professional Development opened in Westlake , TX

1991     Learning For Life Introduced

1991     17th World Jamboree, Soraksan National Park, South Korea attended by 1,010 American Scouts totaling 19,083 Scouts from 135 countries

1991     Ethics In Aciton Introduced

1991     BSA Family program introduced

1991     Conservation Handbook published

1991     Trail Boss program developed

1992     Six BSA regions reduced to four

1992     William Green Bar Bill Hillcourt passes away

1992     Cub Scout Academics program started

1993     13th National Jamboree, Fort A.P.Hill, VA attendance 32,000

1995     18th World Jamboree. Holland with total attendance of 29,066 Scouts from 166 countries

1997     14th National Jamboree, Fort A.P.Hill, VA

1999     19th World Jamboree, Picarquin, Chili



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