History of the Lodge
History of the Order of the Arrow 
The Order for the arrow is a recognized official program activity of the Boy
Scouts of America, intended to recognize those Scouts who best exemplify the
Scout virtues of cherful service, camping, and leadership.
The Order of the Arrow was founded by Dr. E. Urner Goodman and
Carroll A. Edson in 1915 at the Treasure Island Camp of the Philadelphia
Council, Boy Scouts of America. It became an official program
experiment in 1922 and was approved as part of the Scouting program in
1934. In 1948 the OA, recognized as the BSA's national brotherhood of
honor campers, became an official part of the Boy Scouts of America.
In
1998, the Order of the Arrow became recognized as Scouting's National
Honor Society when it expanded its reach beyond camping to include a
greater focus on leadership development, membership extension,
adventurous programming, and broader service to Scouting and the
community. Today, its service, activities, adventures, and training for
youth and adults, are models of quality leadership development and
programming that enrich, support, and help extend Scouting to America’s
youth.
History of the Witauchsoman Lodge, Minsi
Trails Council
In 1928, thirteen years after the introduction of the Order of the Arrow
into Scouting, there emerged one of the three ancestors of Witauchsoman Lodge
called Minsi Lodge #5. The Minsi Lodge served the Lehigh Council that
operated Camp Trexler. In 1936, the Pohopoco Lodge #44 replaced the Minsi
Lodge. For thirty-three years the Pohopoco Lodge acted as a pilot lodge,
helping to start new lodges in the area.
In January 1969, Pohopoco merged with two other lodges forming the first
tri-merger in the history of the Order of the Arrow. The other lodges
were the Tunkhannock Lodge #476 of the Bethlehem Area Council operating Camp
Minsi, and the Ah'Pace Lodge #58 of the Delaware Valley Area Council operating
Camp Weygadt. The tri-merger was named the Witauchsoman Lodge #44, which
means "to be in fellowship with somebody."
Lodges that Merged to form Witauchsoman Lodge #44
Pohopoco Lodge $44 (prior Minsi Lodge #5) Camp Trexler
Tunkhannock Lodge #476 - Camp Minsi
Ah'Pace Lodge #58 - Camp Weygadt
The totem of the lodge is three peace pipes (symbolizing the three
predecessor lodges) pulled back into the string of a bow. Thw lodge has
become a strong and vibrant force in the Minsi Trails Council. In 1980 a
new district that formerly served the Anthracite Scouting Organization joined
the brotherhood of the lodge. This was the result of the organization
becoming a new district in the Minsi Trails Council. In 1994,
Witauchsoman re-established chapters. Each of our six scouting districts
operates a chapter.
Ah'Pace Forks of the Delaware
Pohopoco Trexler
Pokawachne Pocono
Quekolis Anthracite
Tunkhannock South Mountain
Wapagokhos North Valley
Witauchsoman Lodge has since continued its growth. The Lodge has
hosted five Section Conclaves. In 1978 and 1988 the Lodge hosted the
NE-5A Conclaves and in 2011 hosted the NE-5B Conclave at Trexler Scout
Reservation. In 1996 and 2004, the Lodge hosted the NE-4A onclaves at
Camp Minsi.
In 2002, the Witauchsoman accomplished its most challenging hurdle in its
history. For the first time it became a National Quality Lodge.
The year 2009 was another landmark when the Witauchsoman Lodge along with
the Minsi Trails Council celebrated forty years of service tot the Scouting
program. This also marks forty years since the Lodge's tri-merger of its
ancestor lodges. Additionally, on of the Lodge's former Lodge Chiefs,
Ryan Hay, was elected the 2009 Northeast Region Chief.
No one knows exactly where the lodge will go, but one thing is for
sure: The Spirit of the Past.... is spreading and our.... Vision
of the Future is Rising!