Goshen Scout Reservation

History

In 1960, the National Capital Area Council purchased land that bordered the Goshen and Little North Mountain Wildlife Management Area and Little Calfpasture River outside of Goshen, Virginia for $300,000. U.S. Steel public relations executive William G. Whyte helped acquire this tract of more than 4000 acre for the Scouts. The 425 acre Lake Merriweather was created by damming the Little Calfpasture River in 1966, before it joins with the Calfpasture to become the Maury, with a structure 38 ft high and 1300 ft long. Lake Merriweather was named for Marjorie Merriweather Post, an ardent supporter of Scouting in the Washington, DC area. The individual camps bear the names of other significant individuals or corporations who supported National Capital Scouting as well. Camp Marriott owes its name to the Marriott International hospitality corporation while Camp PMI refers to Parking Management Incorporated (better known as PMI), a large parking company in the DC Metro region. In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the reservation, the council hosted a camporee for youth, alumni, and families on Memorial Day weekend 2017.

High Adventure Camp

Camp Baird

Camp Baird is the base camp for the Lenhok'sin High Adventure program. Lenhok'sin offers "backpacking, caving, rappelling, horsemanship, black powder rifle shooting, fishing, and canoeing" The backpacking typically takes five days to travel over the "rough terrain in the Alleghany Mountains."

Boy Scout Camps

Camp Bowman

Camp Bowman was the first camp to be built on the Goshen Scout Reservation, and is located directly across Lake Merriweather from Camp Olmsted. "Camp Bowman's entrance is just beyond the dam that compounds water for the lake."

Programs

For four weeks each summer the camp is visited by 500 participants. Camp Bowman is the only camp at the Goshen Scout Reservation where all units use patrol cooking, rather than dining hall or meals picked up like take-out in a system that reservation camps call heater stack. Each patrol cooks at their campsite using a propane stove or campfire.Patrol cooking:

Facilities

Camp facilities include structures for administration, aquatics, archery range, campfire amphitheater, chapel, commissary, handicraft pavilion, leader lounge, nature, parade field, quartermaster, rifle range, Scoutcraft, shooting sports, shotgun range, shower house, and water tank.Facilities:

Camp Marriott

Camp Marriott is one of the seven camps on the Goshen Scout Reservation. Originally founded in 1969, the camp was named after the Marriott family, whom gave large sums of money to the Boy Scouts of America.

On June 26, 2016 twins Eliana and Jeremy Bookbinder, both with experience handling birds from volunteering at the Clearwater Nature Center in Clinton, Maryland, found an injured young bald eagle near the camp. A supervisor instructed the two to leave the badly injured animal alone. The two captured the bird and took it to a wildlife rehabilitator. Citing the policy that "no wild animals are to be handled or captured (except by properly trained staff)" the two were fired. The eagle, that had a wing broken in multiple places, was so badly injured that it was euthanized.

Programs

Camp Marriott contains twelve campsites. There are two rifle pavilions, a shotgun range, and one archery range. The waterfront area is one of the largest on the lake, with close proximity to the administration building. For four weeks each summer the camp is visited by 700 participants. Camp Marriott is the only camp at the Goshen Scout Reservation to offer a full provisional camp, where individual scouts come to form a temporary troop for the week of program.

Camp Olmsted

Named after General George H. Olmsted, Camp Olmsted has a Tech Center where technology related merit badges are taught.

Webelos camps

Camp PMI

Camp P.M.I. is a camp for 9- to 10-year-old Webelos located in the Shenandoah Valley near Goshen, Virginia.

Camp Ross

Camp Ross is one of two Webelo camps at Goshen Scout Reservations. It is the farthest one away from Camp Post.

Other camps

Camp Post

Camp Post is the central administration area, home to several intercamp programs such as Project COPE, which includes a climbing tower and ropes course. It is also home to many administrative staff, including the reservation director and camping specialist. Camp Post is named for Marjorie Merriweather Post. circuit courses, mud pits, and trail riding. Riders must be at least 16 years old on the first day of the program. It is recommended that they be strong enough to handle a 300-600 pound machine. Personal Experience. The program is a series of initiative games, trust events, low elements, and high elements that challenge on an individual and group level. The concept of “challenge by choice” encourages each person to participate fully while maintaining the right to opt-out of an individual part of the program. The program is designed for older Scouts (ages 14 and up) and Venturers. COPE is offered Monday through Friday at two times – from 9:00am to 11:50am and from 2:00pm to 4:50pm.

Family Camp

Family Camp is a now unused camp which can be used upon request by individuals and groups. It is located almost directly across from Camp Ross waterfront and functions as the Camp Baird Waterfront as well as the Lenhok'sin Caving Outpost during the summer.

References

References

1. (January 16, 2015). "Chronology of Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of Lake Merriweather and Goshen Dam". Rockbridge Area Conservation Council.
2. Bernstein, Adam. (2010-04-27). "U.S. Steel executive and friend of President Ford". The Washington Post.
3. Associated Press.. (2010-09-03). "Virginia Residents Worry About 'High Hazard' Dam". Claims Journal.
4. Evans, Rick. (Dec 2009). "50 Year Adventure". Rick Evans.
5. "Goshen 50th Anniversary". Boy Scouts of America.
6. (Dec 1988). "Boys' Life". Boy Scouts of America.
7. "Falls Church Scouts complete backpacking trek : Falls Church Times".
8. (1970). "Virginia Wildlife". Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries.
9. (February 14, 2017). "Camp Bowman".
10. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/two-boy-scout-camp-employees-say-there-were-fired-for-rescuing-an-injured-bald-eagle/2016/07/11/5542b3b6-4481-11e6-8856-f26de2537a9d_story.html
11. "Camp PMI – Goshen Scout Reservation".
12. "PMI Staff Created Website: Lots of Info".
13. (2017). "ATV Program". Goshen Scout Reservation.
14. (2017). "Climbing Program". Goshen Scout Reservation.
15. (2017). "Project COPE". Goshen Scout Reservation.