Looking back on a century of scouting

The Poplar Bluff Museum has tales about us, our family and our history. I want to tell you some of those tales found within the museum walls.

Robert Baden-Powell formed the Boy Scouts in England in 1910. Scouting came to Poplar Bluff sometime in the 1920’s or 30’s.

The Poplar Bluff museum has a collection of Boy Scout and Girl Scout memorabilia in the Scout Room. Even if you weren’t a scout growing up in Poplar Bluff, a visit to the Scout Room will take your breath away. What a nostalgic trip to “the old days” it would be.

Were you a scout in another town? You would be familiar with everything on display. I guarantee we have something from your childhood here. There are Boy Scout and Girl Scout camping equipment, uniforms, crafts, flags, mugs and posters.

The first thing you see when you walk in the Scout Room is a life size Boy Scout mannequin dressed as a Native American Order of the Arrow Dancer, formerly worn by Eagle Scout Frank Campa.

On your left you will see a Cubmobile. You have to see it to believe it. A commemorative 75th BSA anniversary rifle hangs on the wall. There are Pinewood Derby race cars and their trophies. A hand-made Girl Scout puppet show is on the far wall. Hundreds of Boy Scout and Girl Scout patches are on display. There are 42 neckerchiefs on the wall. Scout manuals, BSA and GSA, can be seen. I’ll bet we have your old handbook. That will surely bring back memories. We have George Stewart’s 1927 BSA handbook and his 1999 Adult Leadership Award, that’s 72 years of scouting!

If you were a local scout, please look through the dozen scrapbooks on the table. I’ll bet your picture is in there.

Many Eagle Scout awards are on display, as well as Girl Scout Gold Award projects. Did you go to Philmont, Shiloh or Jamboree? Were you “Order of the Arrow?”

We have your memories.

Remember your scout leaders? We have their awards too. There are 30 Wood Badge patrol flags on the wall and five Silver Beaver Awards.

Remember to “Be Prepared” and “Do a good turn daily.” The museum is handicap accessible and open every Sunday free of charge from 1-4 p.m. at 1010 Main St., Poplar Bluff (Formerly the Old Mark Twain School). Tell them Mike sent you!

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.