Santa Clara County Council, Inc. is a Boy Scouts of America council headquarted in San Jose, California. As of 2004, the council serves over 11,000 youth in over 400 Boy Scout troops, Cub Scout packs, Venturing crews, and Explorer posts.

History

The San Jose Council of the Boy Scouts of America was founded on August 20, 1920 by John Crummey (president of Bean Spray and Pump Company (later known as Food Machinery Coropration )), Robert Bentley, Jr. (president of Muirson Label Company) and Archer Bowden (San Jose attorney). Bentley served as the first Council President, Julius Rainwater was the first Scout Executive , and Edmund Richmond was the first Council Commissioner.

In 1922, the council changed its name to Santa Clara County Council, and took over administration for all of Santa Clara County. The council was incorporated in 1923, and oversight of San Benito County was added the same year. Monterey and Santa Cruz counties were added in 1927.

In 1933 San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties were split off to form the Monterey Bay Area Council . In 1939 the area around Palo Alto split off to form its own council, the now defunct Stanford Area Council . That council, which had been the smallest BSA council in the nation by area, merged with San Mateo County Council in the 1990s to form Pacific Skyline Council .

Camps

Santa Clara County Council currently operates two camps, and has operated several others in the past.

• Current camps
  • Camp Hi-Sierra (1949 - present)
  • Chesebrough Scout Reservation (1977 - present)
• Former camps
  • Alum Rock Park (1921 - unknown). The council was given exclusive access to 15 acres (61,000 m²) in the park.
  • Camp Swanton (1924 - 1930)
  • Camp Arroyo Sequoia (1931 - 1944, 1948)
  • Camp Bonnie Brier (early 1940s), now known as Boulder Creek Scout Reservation and operated by Pacific Skyline Council
  • San Lorenzo Scout Ranch (1941 - 1948)
  • Camp Stuart (1944 - 1990)

External links

• Santa Clara County Council official site

References

• Mardi Bennett (ed); Scouting in the Santa Clara Valley; 1990; Rosicrucian Press; San Jose, California; ISBN 0-9628133-0-3