Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp

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Ten Mile River Scout Camp (TMR) is a 12,000-acre (4,856 ha) camp near Narrowsburg, New York, owned and operated by the Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) since 1928. It is the principal Boy Scout camp serving New York City. In recent years, TMR is also now increasingly used by other councils in New York state. Over the years, prominent Americans have been instrumental in its history, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and New York mayor William O'Dwyer.[1]

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[edit] History

Ten Mile River Scout Camp was founded as the result of efforts by the New York City Boy Scout Foundation beginning in 1924 to develop a camp large enough to accommodate the burgeoning growth of Scouting in the New York metropolitan area during the 1920s, with a goal of providing camping for 3,500 Scouts at a time. Led by future New York governor and President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), who was president of the New York City Boy Scout Foundation, the group selected TMR's present site, oversaw the land acquisition process from multiple owners, and raised funds for the large camp's development.[2]

In recognition of his pivotal role in the founding and development of TMR, then–Governor Roosevelt received Scouting's Silver Buffalo Award in a ceremony held at the camp on August 23, 1930.[2][3] Later, as recently elected president of the U.S., FDR returned again to the camp in the summer of 1933 to be inducted into the Order of the Arrow.[2][4] By the summer of 1936, 10,000 boys were attending the camp each summer, the New York Times reported.[5]

In 1952, a Manhattan Boy Scout was recognized as the 250,000th Scout to attend TMR and given a special award by FDR's widow, Eleanor Roosevelt.[6] At its peak in 1965, Ten Mile River operated eleven camps with a peak usage of nearly 12,000 boys. Following a decline in the 1970s, five of TMR's eleven camps closed. By the late 1990s, attendance had rebounded to 6,000 scouts.[6]

[edit] Currently

Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp is heavily wooded with hills overlooking the Delaware River. It has a number of lakes, including Half Moon, Crystal, Nianque, Kunatah, and Rock. In addition to specialty programs such as scuba, high-adventure hiking and overnight canoeing/camping on the Delaware, and the Catskill Adventure Base, TMR has four main summer camp areas, each offering different programs and activities:[7]

  • Camp Aquehonga on Half Moon Lake, with traditional Scout camping including patrol cooking, along with an olympic-sized swimming pool.
  • Camp Keowa on Crystal Lake, offers water activities such as canoeing, sailing and waterskiing, with meals served dining hall–style.
  • Camp Kunatah, offering Kosher meals.
  • Camp Ranachqua on Lake Nianque, with meals served dining hall‐style.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Murray Schumach. "O'Dwyer Visits Boy Scout Camp For City's Lads at Ten Mile River", The New York Times, July 18, 1946. Retrieved on 2008-04-22. 
  2. ^ a b c History of the Ten Mile River Scout Camps. TMR Scout Museum. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  3. ^ "Roosevelt Honored by the Boy Scouts", The New York Times, August 24, 1930, p. 21. Retrieved on 2008-04-22. 
  4. ^ Campbell, Thomas P. (March–April 2003). A Best Friend in the White House. Scouting. Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  5. ^ "Boy Scouts Entering Final Week in Camp", The New York Times, August 30, 1936. Retrieved on 2008-04-22. 
  6. ^ a b History of Ten Mile River. Greater New York Councils (BSA) (2005-12-26). Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  7. ^ TMR Camps. Greater New York Councils (BSA) (2007-11-14). Retrieved on 2008-02-15.

[edit] External links

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