Scouting in Mississippi has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
In 1909, Dr. Cran, the Local Episcopal Minister, and Mr. C.H. Hamilton organized Troop 19 in Brookhaven, Mississippi. In 1910, the unit was officially recognized by the local scout office in Vicksburg. Troop 19 became Troop 119 after the Andrew Jackson Council was formed. It was sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church until 1938/39 when it was then sponsored by "The Men's Bible Class" First United Methodist church where it has remained. The Troop has been continuously chartered since 1910 and is as old as the incorporated Boy Scouts of America. In 1912, one year after the Boy Scout movement came from England to the United States, George F. Maynard, Sr. founded the first troop in Tupelo — Troop 1. Scout units were soon founded in other cities such as Picayune, Corinth and Oxford.
Recent history (1950-1990)
Scouting in Mississippi today
There are eight Boy Scouts of America local councils in Mississippi.
Andrew Jackson Council
Andrew Jackson Council serves Scouts in the area surrounding the state capital.
Organization
: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Franklin, and Jefferson Counties
: Copiah, Lawrence, Lincoln, Pike, and Walthall Counties
: Scott, Rankin and Simpson Counties
: Hinds, Issquena, Sharkey, and Warren Counties
: Attala, Holmes, Leake, Madison and Yazoo Counties
Chickasaw Council serves Scouts in Tennessee and Arkansas, as well as Mississippi. The Delta Area Council of west Mississippi and their Koi Hatachie lodge 345, Order of the Arrow, merged into Chickasaw Council in the early 1990s.
Choctaw Area Council serves youth in east Mississippi and west Alabama, with the council office located in Meridian, Mississippi. The Choctaw Area Council camp is Camp Binachi, and the council's name refers to the Choctaw nation.
Bobashela District
Seminole District
OA lodge:
Istrouma Area Council
Istrouma Area Council serves Scouts in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Pine Burr Area Council
The Pine Burr Area Council serves youth in 17 counties in southeast and southern Mississippi, from headquarters in Hattiesburg.
Pushmataha Area Council serves Calhoun, Chickasaw, Monroe, Webster, Oktibbeha, Clay, Lowndes, Winston, Choctaw and Noxubee counties in north Mississippi. Camp Seminole is the Pushmataha Area Council camp.
The Yocona Area Council of northeast Mississippi is headquartered in Tupelo. It serves Alcorn, Tishomingo, Prentiss, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc, Tippah, Union, Benton, Marshall, Lafayette, and Yalobusha counties. The Chicksa Lodge serves local Arrowmen.
Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi serves some 10,000 members in 45 counties of south and central Mississippi. It was formed by the merger of Girl Scouts of Gulf Pines Council and Girl Scout Council of Middle Mississippi in 2009. Headquarters: Jackson, Mississippi
Website: http://gsgms.org/ Service centers:
Hattiesburg
Gulfport
Meridian
Camps:
Camp Iti Kana is including a lake near Wiggins, MS. Its name is from the Choctaw language and means friendship.
