History of Tecumseh Council

By John Smilek, Tecumseh Council Historian

Below is a chronology of Council 439. I say Council 439 because we have had two names over the 100 years, but we have always had the same number. In the early 1920s, there were about 800 councils and BSA HQ assigned them numbers. They did it alphabetically by state and name of the council in the state. Councils in Alabama got the first numbers. By the time they got to Ohio they were in the 400s. Currently, Scouting America is down to under 250 Councils. Tecumseh Council is not only one of them, but we have never been merged or had anyone merge with us. Other than two name change, we are pure, and probably less than 10% of the original councils can say that.

1923 - Clark County Council application is sent to the Boy Scouts of America on June 23, 1923. Clark County Council is formed and given the Council #439 (At the time other councils in Ohio were Cleveland, 440, Columbus, 441… see how the alphabet and numbers worked? “Cla” #439, “Cle” #440, and “Clo” #441. Cleveland and Columbus Councils have merged with others and names have changed, but when the numbers were assigned, this was the order.)

1923 - Harvey O. Ports arrives in Springfield on August 21, 1923 to fill the post of the Council’s first Executive.

1924 - Camp Miami is the Councils first main camp. The camp is set up on leased property on the Paschall Farm. This location was on the south side of the Little Miami River. Note, Camp Birch is located on the north side of the River.

1927 - Gram Farm was the site of Camp Miami starting in 1927 with actual buildings erected for the campers. The location would move a bit, but the name, Camp Miami stayed constant until Camp Birch was formed. The last big event held at Camp Miami was the sixth Council Camparall held on June 12-14, 1936.

1928 - Tecumseh Area Council is the new name of Clark County Council with the addition of Champaign, Clinton, Greene and Logan Councils on June 25, 1928. The Council number stayed 439. Not exactly a name change, but some time between 1933-36 the Council name was shortened to Tecumseh Council.

1931 - First Tecumseh Area Camparall is held in Shawnee Park, Xenia, Ohio on May 15-16 1931. The second Camparall was held at the fairgrounds in Urbana, Ohio, May 6-7, 1932. The third Camparall was the first held at Camp Miami, June 2-4, 1933. The sixth and last Camparall held at Camp Miami was held on June 12-14, 1936.

1931 - Silver Beaver is the highest honor that a local Scouting America council can bestow upon a registered Scouter. It recognizes Scouters who have provided exceptional service to the council and youth through their community service and dedication. Tecumseh Council awarded its first Silver Beaver Award in 1931.

1936 - Camp Hugh Taylor Birch is established when Mr. Huch Taylor Birch donates 25 acres of his farm to the Council in Oct 1936. Mr. Birch purchased the Gram Farm, mentioned earlier, and donated 131 acers of land to the State of Ohio to add to John Bryan State Park along with the 25 acres to the Council. Summer camp was up and running on the new grounds in the summer of 1937.

1945 - Tarhe Lodge of Order of the Arrow was established exactly 30 years after the founding of the Order of the Arrow.

1989 - Wood Badge began in 1989 when Tecumseh Council held its first course.

2012 - Commissioner College was established for Tecumseh Council. The first training was held at Aley United Methodist Church in Beavercreek, Ohio.

2023 - Tecumseh Council Headquarters moves from Springfield, OH to Camp Birch in Yellow Springs, OH.

The news article to the right was written by Harvey O. Portz, the first Scout Executive of Clark County Council in 1923. It has an amazing amount of information about the early years of our Council.