The Virtual Museum

Renovations

The work was not done with 1959 Capital Development Campaign, which officially ended in 1961. The old hanging cedar sign, Don Stafford Chapel, and the OA Lodge all came later in the 1960s. Still, the vision was incomplete. In 1972, Middle Tennessee Council launched a new capital development campaign. The '72 Campaign would build a new camp and new buildings at Boxwell, but also the Jet Potter Center, and Grimes Canoe base. At $4.6 million, this too was the largest in Scouting history. Carved out of Camp Light, the wilderness camp, Camp Craig was created as the new Boy Scout camp, opening in 1973. For a short time, Craig, Parnell and Stahlman were all open at the same time. (From 1976 to 1998 though, Craig and Parnell were on rotation from each other, with one being open and the other closed, their staff changing from camp to camp.) The '72 capital development campaign also resulted in new permanent structures at camp, including new Trading Posts, Handicraft shops, the Health Lodge, and camp offices. These new structures helped make complete the major structural changes of Boxwell.

In the 1980s, renovations continued. New metal roofs were placed on all the buildings. COPE was built in 1985 and the enormous tower added in 1991. The permanent Woodbadge shed was constructed (1984) and showerhouses were built at Camp Craig on the lower and upper loops (1986), though the pit toilets would remain for almost another twenty years. All of this was done through the frugal efforts of Reservation Director Tom Willhite--without a capital campaign!

In 1994, another capital development campaign began (yes, once again, the largest ever - over $7.8 million). While not quite as extensive as the '59 or '72 campaigns, the '94 campaign did bring some big changes. The most obvious was the transformation of Camp Murrey into Gaylord Cubworld. Family camp attendance had all but stopped and a facilty to help Cub Scouting grow was necessary. Handicap access trails and sites as well as program shelters were added to Stahlman, Parnell and Craig. Each camp also had their waterfront renovated. In the case of Craig, this meant an entirely new waterfront at Duck Head and an access road to it (now known as "Parker's Highway"). Also, after being closed for twenty years, the Boat Harbor was refurbished and reopened. Even the amphitheater (1985) was updated with a sound booth and lights. The '94 campaign dramatically altered the face of Boxwell and opened a host of new Scouting opportunities.

While the '94 Campaign covered big new developments, much of the Reservation was quite old by the late 1990s. A smaller "Millennium Campaign" launched at the turn of the century with a goal of $2.5 million, primarily to renovate existing buildings. The showerhouses were at Craig and Stahlman were updated with individual shower stalls and individual toilet stalls. The pit toilets at Craig were no more! Craig even got a whole new sewer system. The Trading Post sheds were updated for walk-in shopping instead of the counter service. Centralized staff sites were built, complete with Staff Centers, buildings dedicated for the staff to relax, clean up, and wash clothes. The Millennium Campaign also began the creation of the reservation's High Adventure Area. In 2002, the John Parish High Adventure Center was added and the shotgun range was updated with permanent facilities. In 2004, a swimming pool was addedto Boxwell. Though not part of the campaign, in 2008, the Josh Sain High Adventure Memorial Gateway was added, officially reclassifying this portion of Camp Light.

A host of similar changes have come since the pool. In 2011, renovations were made to the OA Lodge and a program shed was added to the Boat Harbor as well. In 2013, a High Adventure Zipline was installed between Parnell and the High Adventure area. In 2016, Camp Parnell, which had been closed in 1998, began new life with the transformation of the dining hall into a STEM Center. In 2018, CubWorld got its own boating aquatics area.

In 2019, the Council launched the Centennial Campaign, a capital campaign geared toward celebrating the Council and Boxwell's Centennial. Among the planned renovations and new projects were a new roof for Camp Craig, a Skilled Trades Center at Parnell, a new entrance gateway honoring veterans, new year-round showerhouses, and a new dining hall for Camp Stahlman. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic slowed the campaign, but at this printing the work continues...