The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910. A North Dakota council was established in 1911. Boy Scout troops were quickly organized across the state.
Many of those troops formed at churches in conjunction with Sunday schools but they made it clear that boys didn’t have to be church members to join. Local businessmen, educators, and prominent community members were quick to volunteer as leaders.
Scouting appealed to both boys and adults. Boys enjoyed being active and participating in positive activities. Adults felt confident the boys were learning valuable new skills and engaging in community service projects.
In 1912, the first Boy Scout encampment in North Dakota took place in Valley City. It was clear: the Boy Scouts were a big hit.
The program continued over the years, and the boys weren’t the only ones learning new skills. On this date in 1933, forty Boy Scout leaders from North Dakota and eastern Montana gathered in Bismarck for a four-day regional camp leaders’ training course on the grounds of the state capitol.
Gunnar Berg, the national director of volunteer training, came from New York City to lead the school. He was joined by members of the regional executive council. Among the participants were the executive of the Missouri Slope Area Council and the North Dakota Secretary of State.
The men came prepared to sleep on the ground in tents and cook their own meals over open fires. The event kicked off with a hot dog roast. The program covered all aspects of camping: selecting a campground, setting up tents, building fires, and cooking meals.
The program climaxed with a joint meeting of Bismarck’s service clubs, where Berg was the featured speaker. He learned about the Scouts through his work as a teacher and school principal. For the past five years, he had served on the national staff, developing training programs.
Today, there are an estimated 2,500 Boy Scouts in North Dakota. Scouting troops can be found in both urban and rural areas across the state. The Northern Lights Council serves all of North Dakota, plus parts of South Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, and northeastern Montana.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Tribune. “Boy Scouts to Be Organized Within Month.” Bismarck ND. 6/1/1912. Page 3.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Boy Scout Leaders Assemble Here for Course in Camping.” Bismarck ND. 5/13/1933. Page 1.
- Historical Marker Data Base. “First Boy Scout Encampment in North Dakota.” https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=242333 Accessed 4/17/2025.
- News Dakota. “Boy Scout Encampment in Chautauqua Park On Saturday.” https://www.newsdakota.com/2012/07/19/boy-scout-encampment-in-chautauqua-park-valley-city-to-commemorate-100-years/ Accessed 4/17/2024.
