Boxwell History Book

For the Good of the Program: A Century of Middle Tennessee Scouting at Boxwell, 1921-2021

Looking for a gift to buy your favorite Scouter for Christmas? Think about the history of Boxwell! Get a paperback copy from Amazon (and most other book retailers) right now. If you search Amazon, search “Grady Eades” to most easily find the book.

OR, go for the super simple route and just use this link: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Program-Century-Tennessee-Scouting/dp/1734085053/ref=sr_1_1

For the Good of the Program

From the Archives, November 26, 2023

CubWorld Instructors Board

CubWorld makes real efforts to connect with Cub Scouts in ways that the Scouts BSA camps just haven’t historically embraced. From high-fives at campfires to running skits, CubWorld program is really about making connections to the Scouts.

This is seen in mundane ways as well. While all staff now wear staff ID badges with their photo, CubWorld takes the next step and puts staff photos on display in the dining hall.

Seen here is a CubWorld Staff photo board from 2018. The concept is simple but powerful. It allows Cubs to quickly identify (and then stalk in their special 10 and under way) their favorite staff member.

2018 CubWorld Staff Instructors
CubWorld Instructors, 2018
Collection of Grady Eades
72dpi: 10in x 6.667in; original 72dpi: 59.333in x 39.556in; original digital photo; color; July 10, 2018 Original photographer: Grady Eades

From the Archives, November 19, 2023

Group Staff Sites

While Old Hickory Boxwell has mostly known group staff sites with electricity, the Willhite-Green Era stands as an anomaly. In these years, the staff were multiple staff sites around the camps, grouped by program area. Thus, the Waterfront had a site, the Kitchen had a site, and so on.

Seen here is Parnell’s Activity Yard Staff Site after take-down in 1993. You can see the site involved both four man and two man tent platforms as well as several “living” platforms in the center to tie everything together. The central area was covered with tarps.

Some sites were far smaller. Other sites were far more creative. Stahlman’s Waterfront was the gold standard with custom built living platforms up off the ground like a deck. Still, this photo provides some insight into what “living areas” were like in this period.

AY Staff Site after take-down, 1993
AY Staff Site, Post-Take Down, 1993
Collection of Grady Eades
72dpi: 10in x 7.155in; original 300 dpi: 4.71in x 3.37in; original photo scan; color; July 1993
Original photographer: Grady Eades

From the Archives, November 12, 2023

1972 Plans

The 1972 Capital Campaign brought Camp Craig to the Reservation, but there were plans for more camps. This shouldn’t be news. What is news is where exactly these camps were going to go.

This map clearly shows the big picture plan for the 1972 campaign. There are clearly two camps laid out here with a road cut for a future third. Both of the proposed camps have three showerhouses. The dark lines on the map are the electrical and water lines, which (for the most part) were laid.

Things did not quite follow this proposal. It’s interesting to note that the Camp Light camp does not seem to have a waterfront attached to it. Still, the un-built camp had the roads cut for it, as did the “future construction” camp. There was definitely a belief three new camps were possible!

Water Main Extensions, 1972
Water Main Extensions (Proposed Camps, 1972)
Collection of Kerry Parker
72dpi: 10in x 6.703in; original 400 dpi: 34.148in x 22.888in; original blueprint scan; B&W; 1972
Original photographer: Consoer Townsend & Associates