Camp Arrowhead

For a brief period of time in the late 1940s, the Nashville Council opened another summer camp. Camp Boxwell was still on the Narrows of the Harpeth, but the Narrows were in Kingston Springs, west of Nashville. As the Council had expanded, it was decided a camp for Scouts in the east might helpful.

Camp Arrowhead was located twelve miles east of Sparta. It opened for the first summer in 1946 and ran for two weeks. It held subsequent summer camps in 1947 and 1948. It was small facility, using about 25 tents for the whole camp. In 1947 it was also used as a “senior” camp, a camp for boy at least 15 years old and First Class. In the few summers it existed, it was run by the assistant Executives, Tallmadge Miller and James Gribble. If you’re familiar with Council history, other names you might recognize at Camp Arrowhead: Walter Whittaker (cook at least one summer), Henry Fitts and John Parish.

Camp Arrowhead did not last long. After Ward Akers became Council Executive, Camp Boxwell moved to the Rock Island location in 1949, ending the need for Arrowhead at a summer camp location.

No known photos exist of Camp Arrowhead. Seen here is a photograph from the Nashville Banner of several Scouts arriving at Ft. Nashboro _from_ Camp Arrowhead by canoe, a 200 mile trip.

“Boy Scouts Complete 200-Mile Canoe Trip,” _Nashville Banner_, August 18, 1947, pg. 1.

“Four Boy Scouts are shown above arriving here late Saturday afternoon after completing a 200-mile canoe trip, and are being welcome by Scout officials and friends. Left to right are Johnny Duval, Jim Bateman (holding welcoming sign), T. M. Miller, scout official; W. L. Northern, Scout boatmaster at Camp Arrowhead; James Gribble, assistant Scout executive of the Nashville Area Council; and the four who made the trip, Joe Womack, 20, standing in water near canoe “Adventure III”; Henry Fitts, 16, in the “Adventure III”; Bill Mitchum, 17, in the canoe “Spook”; and Bob Mitchum, 19, standing beside the canoe.” _Nashville Banner_, August 18, 1947, pg. 1