On this day–Saturday, August 31, 1957–the United States Senate approved legislation already passed by the House granting 525 acres of land on Old Hickory Lake to the Middle Tennessee Council. The land belonged to the US Corps of Engineers and in order to build a camp on the property, the Council had to have clear title to the property. The Corps, as a branch of the US Army, could not grant this title; it had to be done by legislation. The bill was championed by Representatives Carlton Loser, Joe Evins, and Ross Bass and Senator Al Gore, Sr. Behind the scenes was the hand of E. B. Stahlman, co-publisher of the Nashville Banner. The legislation did have two caveats. First, in order to maintain this title, the Council had begin construction within three years (so, by 1960). Second, the property had to be used as a Boy Scout summer camp. Should the property no longer be a summer camp, the Council would lose title to the land. President Eisenhower signed the bill the following weekend.

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