The Northern New Jersey Council was formed in January 1999 and serves Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties as an effort to better serve the Scouting communities encompassed in these areas.[1]
In 1915, the East Orange Council (#337) was formed. In 1917, the Orange (#353) and West Orange (#363) councils were formed. In 1917, the South Orange Council (#345) was formed, changing its name to the Orange Mountain Council (#345) in 1919. In 1933, the East Orange, Orange, West Orange, and Orange Mountain councils merged to form the Oranges and Maplewood Area Council (#337). Oranges and Maplewood Area Council changed its name to Orange Mountain (#337) in 1949.[2]
In 1968, the Hudson and Alexander Hamilton councils merged to become the Hudson-Hamilton Council (#348). In 1993, the Bayonne (#332) and Hudson-Hamilton (#348) councils merged to become the Hudson Liberty Council (#348).[2] In 1969, the North Bergen County Council (#350) changed its name to the Bergen Council (#350) in 1969. The Ridgewood-Glen Rock Council (#359) merged with the Bergen Council (#350) in 1997.[2]
In 1972, the Aheka (#354) and Alhtaha (#355) councils merged to become the Passaic Valley Council (#353). In 1986 Tamarack Council dissolved, splitting into both the Essex (#336) and Bergen (#338) councils. In 1976, the Orange Mountain (#337), Eagle Rock (#346), and Robert Treat (#349) councils merged to become the Essex Council (#336).[2]
Floodwood Mountain Reservation[11] is over forty years old. The Rollins Pond Canoe Base and the West Pine Pond Backpacking Center form the Reservation, both located in Altamont, NY between Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, and near many lakes and the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. With rock climbing, waterskiing, archery, and many day hikes and paddles available, Floodwood offers an in-camp program in camp as well as a trek.
Floodwood Mountain Reservation was acquired by Bergen Council, BSA on November 22, 1963. Over the next year plans were drawn up for a rather ambitious camping reservation with multiple camps on different parts of the property. As a first step, an outpost camp was established at Rollins Pond for the summer of 1965. Since the concept of wilderness camping offered by a local council camp was a new idea, attendance was by invitation and only units with the required depth of adult leadership were considered.
The initial experience was successful and for the next four summers the program was continued and expanded. Problems with water supply led the Council to explore other areas of the reservation for a permanent camp site.
The initial expansive plan for multiple camps was already being reconsidered, and in the end West Pine Pond was chosen for development. It is at this site that units have camped since the summer of 1970, while they have continued to use Rollins Pond as the launching point for canoe treks and for the water skiing program.
Camp Lewis
Camp Lewis[12] is located in the Hibernia Section of Rockaway Township, Morris County. It is open for weekend camping throughout the year and is also a Cub Scout Resident Camp during the summer. It is also home to the council COPE course.
Camp Lewis was originally donated to the Bayonne Council by the Rosenthal family, who had established Maidenform, when their son, Lewis Rosenthal, drowned while swimming on vacation.[13] It was donated under the agreement that the camp would be named Lewis to memorialize their son, that the camp would teach young boys how to swim and that it would serve kosher meals in the dining hall.
A 2-acre (0.81 ha) lake was constructed Esso's Bayonne employees.[14]
No-Be-Bo-Sco is in session from July–August each year to Scouts and includes dozens of merit badge classes and activities throughout its 6 weeks. The camp is currently run by Bob Johnson, Camp Director since 1988. Each year at camp has always included a new theme for each summer.[citation needed]
NoBe also operates a year-round program. Heated cabins are available for troops of all sizes to be rented for weekend use. The camp serves as a launching point for a hike along the Appalachian Trail, or exploring the Delaware Watergap Recreation Area.[citation needed]
Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco lies on the shores of Sand Pond at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge, approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southeast of the Walpack Bend in Hardwick and Stillwater Townships. Originally, the surrounding Paulins Kill watershed region was inhabited by the Tohockonetcong Band of the Minisink Tribe. It is unlikely they had a permanent settlement in this valley at the headwaters of Jacksonburg Creek due to its inhospitable terrain and shortage of potable water. [citation needed]
A boat on Sand Pond
Over 500 Boy Scouts attended the first Summer Season in 1927. The first Camp Ranger, Elmer Baker of Maine, was hired in 1928. Lance M. Parsons of Englewood supervised Baker and a crew of men. They built the Camp's log cabins between 1928 and 1931, beginning with a building to house themselves where Price Lodge stands today. [citation needed] In 1930, the Cable Line was built through the camp and over Sand Pond. In 1964, they were connected to a Cable Line in Yards Creek.[citation needed]
Unlike some camps, No-Be-Bo-Sco stayed open during World War II. The war effort made supplies scarce, so Scouts brought their rations to summer camp. The war arrived at camp in a much more tragic way on February 22, 1944, when a B-17F Flying Fortress crashed into the west face of the Kittatiny Ridge.[17]
The Army Corps of Engineers and the National Park Service collaborated during the 1960s on a project to build a proposed national recreation area along the Delaware River that would have been built in conjunction with the controversial Tocks Island Dam project. The Tocks Island dam was proposed to provide water to the region and improve recreation. Many camps along the river were purchased or condemned by the federal government, and in 1970 they bought the mountain from Bergen Council, reducing Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco to approximately 369 acres (1.49 km2). The sale agreement provided Camp access to the proposed lake, but the government abandoned the project due to a large change in public opinion. The resulting Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area provides Camp direct access to over 69,000 acres (280 km2) of federal parkland.[18]
In 1979, the camp was used as the filming location of the first Friday the 13th, released in 1980. The camp holds events and tours for fans of the film.[19]
In 1988, Bergen Council hired Bob Johnson to direct Summer Camp. Though Bob had never been to No-Be-Bo-Sco, he had sixteen years of camp staff experience, and quickly revitalized the program. Among other things, Bob has since united the staff in the Camp’s first centralized staff area, supervised outfitting the Dining Hall with a world class kitchen, and crafted a signature summer camp program unique to No-Be-Bo-Sco. His non-stop, high energy program is renowned for its enthusiastic staff, excellent food, and original campfires. Bob Johnson still serves as Camp Director and 2007 is his twentieth summer at the post. He is the longest tenured Camp Director in No-Be-Bo-Sco history.[citation needed]
While Bob Johnson attracted new units, in 1990 a group of Overpeck District volunteers led by Jim Africano started the Weboree. The increased summer and winter attendance bolstered Camp’s finances, and the Weboree helped restore Scouter enthusiasm. Soon No-Be-Bo-Sco was bursting at the seams year-round, yet again.[citation needed]
Current ranger Tom Rich was permanently assigned to No-Be-Bo-Sco in 1995. The same year, volunteers led by a Scout, Steve Kallesser, undertook a major dining hall renovation. Two years later the same group converted the Protestant Chapel to an all-faiths facility and built an outdoor chapel; the first new camp structure in almost 30 years.[citation needed]
Shortly after, the Northern New Jersey Council began a camp improvement campaign between 2008 and 2010 that involved the renovation of a majority of camp cabins and facilities.[citation needed]
Camp Yaw-Paw
Camp Yaw Paw[20] Camp Yaw-Paw is a 400-acre (1.6 km2) tract of land in the Ramapo Mountain Range. The camp offers a winter camping program from September till May. Camp Yaw-Paw is NNJ Council's Cub Day Camp during the summer months.
Lenapehoking Lodge was formed from the merger of Mantowagan Lodge #14, Meechgalanne Lodge #178, Oratam Lodge #286, and Aquaninoncke Lodge #359.[24]
Lenapehoking Lodge traces its origins to the earliest days of the Order of the Arrow. Pamrapaugh Lodge #14, founded in 1921, in the (then) Bayonne Council was the tenth lodge formed in the Order of the Arrow and was present at the first grand lodge meeting, held in Philadelphia in 1921.[24] Due to a clerical error, Pamrapaugh was assigned #14, although it is known to be the tenth lodge formed.[24] Pamrapaugh would eventually merge with Elauwit Lodge #37 to form Mantowagan Lodge #14, encompassing all of Hudson County, NJ. Elauwit Lodge #37 traces its founding to (then) Scout Executive (of the Jersey City Council) Carroll A. Edson, co-founder of the Order of the Arrow. Edson would be recognized with the Vigil Honor in Achtu Lodge #37.
^ ab"Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco". BSA Northern New Jersey Council. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
^Kalleser, Steven W. (March 13, 2015). Jacek P. Siry; Pete Bettinger; Krista Merry; Donald L. Grebner; Kevin Boston; Chris Cieszewski (eds.). Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco. Academic Press. ISBN9780127999319. ((cite book)): |work= ignored (help)
