Scouting at Deep Creek Lake

Scouting at Deep Creek Lake. Deep Creek Lake 100 Years. , As you stand here today, picture the scene from a century ago. From the late-1920’s to the mid-1950’s, this area was home to a Boy Scout camp, buzzing with the sounds of crackling campfires, the laughter of boys, and the calls of camp leaders. With Deep Creek Lake as the backdrop, Scouts learned essential outdoor skills, like knot-tying, fire-building, and map-reading, while strengthening their sense of teamwork, leadership, and respect for nature., Scouting in this area began with the chartering of Troop 1 of Oakland MD in 1922 by a group of local prominent citizens. The first reported use of this area as a Boy Scout camp was in 1926 and a 1928 article reported that Scouts from Troop 1 spent two weeks at the new permanent camp on the shores of Deep Creek Lake. The same article indicates a healthy membership of 30 boys, and a group photo from the 1929 camp showed 29 Scouts and four leaders. The lake was a popular destination for Scout summer camps; in 1928 Troops from Connellsville and Pittsburgh PA as well as one from Clarksburg, WV set up camps along its shore., Troop 1’s camp consisted of a 3-sided barracks, latrine and dining hall supplied by a hand-dug water pump. The facilities and property were provided by local citizens and community groups, who also helped to provide the Troop with supplies and equipment for the summer camps. Incorporated as “Paradise Heights Scout Camp” in 1933, the camp was truly the perfect setting for Scouting. Days at camp were spent swimming, hiking or learning the skills for merit badges all while being immersed in the natural beauty that surrounded them. In the evenings, Scouts sang songs, performed skits and listened to tall tales around the campfire. Camps typically lasted for two weeks, and parents were invited to visit on Wednesdays and Sundays., Deep Creek Lake also hosted at least two other Scout Camps with Troops from Pittsburgh, PA and Clarksburg, WV traveling here to take advantage of camping on the lake., Today, while these camps have faded into history, the spirit of adventure, learning, and camaraderie still lingers in these woods. Imagine yourself as one of those scouts, eager to explore, learn, and grow in this very spot far removed from the bustle of today’s lake. The traits embodied in the Scout Oath and the Scout Motto of “Be Prepared” are as valuable today as they were 100 years ago., (Captions):, Group photo of Troop 1 in 1929 at Paradise Heights Scout Camp, In 2023, Troop 1 of Oakland returned to camp on Deep Creek Lake, Detail of a 1940's-era map of the lake showing the sites of three Scout camps from Pittsburgh, PA, Clarksburg, WV, and Oakland, MD as well as other landmarks The Charter of Troop 1, Oakland, MD, Clipping from Repubican Newspaper, August 9 1928