Boy Scout Troop 295 - Overland Park, KS

05/09/2026

02/19/2026

What was the first Boy Scout troop in the United States?

The answer isn’t as simple as it seems. Boy Scout troops existed in the U.S. even before the Boy Scouts of America was officially founded. Inspired by the Scouting movement in England, Americans who had seen or learned about the program quickly started troops at home. By 1909, a year before the BSA’s incorporation, troops were active in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma. These early groups followed Robert Baden-Powell’s program and even imported handbooks and uniforms from England.

When the Boy Scouts of America was officially incorporated at 11:03 a.m. on February 8, 1910, many of these unofficial troops formalized their status with BSA charters. That means the “first troop” can be interpreted in different ways, either the first to organize or the first to be chartered.

Across the country, you will find historical markers, statues, and signs claiming to be home to America’s first Boy Scout troop. One troop often recognized is Troop 1 in Barre, Vermont, formed in 1909 by William Foster Milne, a Scottish stonecutter.

We’ll never know for sure which troop was truly the first, but what we do know is that each of these early troops played an instrumental role in launching the Scouting movement in the United States and left lasting legacies in the lives of the Scouts they served.

Read about Barre Troop 1 here:

https://thebridgevt.org/2026/02/history-corner-remembering-americas-first-scoutmaster/

And, read about why the first troop can't be identified for certain here:

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2019/03/28/what-was-the-first-troop-in-the-united-states-the-answer-isnt-so-simple/

09/22/2025

Busted out the 2 man saw today.

09/19/2025

With warm weather and flooded areas across Kansas, field staff have noticed more rattlesnake activity than usual. And with several hunting seasons underway or starting soon, it’s a good time to be extra mindful while outdoors.

Venomous snakes, including several rattlesnake species and copperheads, are found in Kansas, but most snakes you’ll encounter are nonvenomous. All snakes play an important role in our ecosystems, and snakebites in Kansas are rarely fatal with effective treatment available.

👉 Stay safe outdoors by:
✅ Watching your step
✅ Being cautious around logs or rocks
✅ Giving snakes space if you see one

🐍 If bitten by a venomous snake:
⚠️ Stay calm to slow the spread of venom
⚠️ Call 911 or get to a hospital quickly — but don’t try to drive yourself
⚠️ It’s not necessary to catch or kill the snake; the antivenoms used in the U.S. treat all pit viper bites

Enjoy Kansas’ great outdoors — just stay aware and be prepared!

09/19/2025

01/02/2025

Before serving as the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter served in a smaller but just as vital role: his children’s Scout leader.

11/05/2024

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