Ranger’s Smokehouse

As we’ve expressed before, we take great joy in visiting sections of the reservation that we haven’t been to before. There aren’t many of those areas left, but finding something new is always great.

In visiting with new Justin Duke, we took a few minutes to do a quick walkabout the Ranger’s residence. About fifty yards from the house, down the woods, is a smokehouse. It’s quite old and still in good shape.

Honestly, we don’t know how old this building is. But it seems reasonable to assume that it dates back to the period when Boxwell was a working farm. Hogs were part of farm life then and Council Executive Ward Akers often gave large sides of meat to contributors. It seems quite likely this building was used for those purposes as well as personal use. Just another fascinating piece of Boxwell history.

Cedar smokehouse behind the Ranger’s residence, 2026

The Hardcastle Collection

This week we’re doing something a little different: we’re showcasing someone else’s collection. The Metro Archives at the Nashville Public Library has a collection from a Mr. K. C. Hardcastle, Jr. Hardcastle was the Secretary and Assistant Manager of the Tennessee Metal Culvert Company, the company of L. G. Boxwell. Hardcastle wrote letters and used what influence he had with the Tennessee Congressional delegation to secure passage of 1957 Special Act of Congress that allowed for Boxwell Reservation on Old Hickory Lake. His correspondence is at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

At the Metro Archives however, Hardcastle has a set of photographs of Boxwell at Rock Island that give us a really unique perspective on the camp. The famous oak tree seen here apparently came from this collection originally, but this collection has much more! You can see scenes from the Rock Island Kitchen, Scouts leaping into one of the waterfront Cribs, a suspended flagpole, and archery. There are only 12 photos, but there are some good shots here. Here is the link and a quick description list:
https://digital.library.nashville.org/digital/collection/nr/search/searchterm/Boxwell

All photos from July 17, 1958
Photo 1: Archery Range
Photo 2: Man with Saint Bernard by the Kitchen
Photo 3: Different man with Saint Bernard; Kitchen and dining hall tents in background
Photo 4: Oak tree and handicraft
Photo 5: Food window from the kitchen; photographer standing in dining hall tents
Photo 6: Scouts working on Lifesaving MB at one of the waterfront cribs
Photo 7: One of the camp’s pit toilets
Photo 8: The archery Range
Photo 9: Suspended flag pole in the assembly area
Photo 10: Unknown
Photo 11: The Kitchen; dining hall tents to the left
Photo 12: The food windows from the kitchen

Handicraft Tree at Rock Island, 1958. General Collection.

Commissioners

In 1971, Boxwell adopted a program from National that, well, let’s just say no one thought it worked particular well. This was known as the Commissioner system. It ran from approximately 1971-1975.

The idea was not bad on the surface. Take the Activity Yard and break it into four different smaller staffs around camp, closer to the Scouts to better be able to teach Scout skills to youth. More staff meant smaller groups and better instruction. Each commissioner staff was about four people, headed by a Camp Commissioner and three Program Aides or Program Commissioners. Each group had their staff site, spread around the camp, serving three or four sites each. The biggest drawback was that the system was an enormous duplication of services.

Seen here is one of Parnell’s Commissioner staffs. Specifically, this is the Commissioner Staff of Camp Commissioner Steve Eubank (sunglasses) in 1972. How do we know this is 1972? Because of the staff hats. Those are green hats with black and gold patches–the very FIRST staff hats. Eddie Stephens is directly on Eubanks’ right, but we don’t know the other two individuals. The gentleman on the far left is wearing not only the famous ringer t-shirt, but a Camp Parnell belt buckle!!

Parnell Commissioners, 1972. Collection of Kerry Parker.

Green In Action

One of the best known names in modern Boxwell history is Larry Green. Green has served on the Boxwell staff in a variety of capacities and is one of the longest-serving staff members ever.

And while there are a variety of stories that make Larry a legend, most days, he’s just a guy doing his best for Scouting and for Boxwell. Back in his years when he was a professional–and professionals were Camp Directors–Larry served as Camp Director more than any other professional and at all three resident camps over the course of his tenure.

Based on the hat and the other photos in this series, we’re pretty confident this is Larry at Camp Craig’s original Friday Night Campfire area on the lake (modern site 13) in 1982.

Larry Green at a Craig Friday Night campfire, 1982. Collection of Kerry Parker.