French Creek Council
Encyclopedia
The French Creek Council serves Boy Scouts in six counties in northwestern Pennsylvania
and one township
in Ohio
. The council was organized in 1972 from a merger of the former Washington Trail Council of Erie
, Custaloga Council of Sharon
and Colonel Drake Council of Oil City
, Pennsylvania. It has headquarters in Erie, Pennsylvania.
in Mercer and Venango counties.
The area of Custaloga Town was inhabited by members of the Wolf Clan of the Seneca under the leadership of Chief Guyasutha
, who served as the League Deputy or "half king" on the Allegheny-Ohio. Guyasutha was the uncle of Chief Cornplanter and is buried on the grounds of Custaloga Town Scout Reservation.
Chief Custaloga of the Wolf Clan of Delawares arrived at the present site of Custaloga Town Scout Reservation in the mid 18th century and built a sizeable village here, which became his principal seat. Custaloga's name first appeared in western Pennsylvania's history in "George Washington
's Journal of 1753". When Washington arrived at Fort Machault
in the village of Venango (present Franklin, PA), Custaloga was in charge of the wampum of his nation.
Since Custaloga had aided Chief Pontiac
in his rebellion, the white settlers were wary of the actions of Custaloga and asked Guyasutha to live among his people at Custaloga's Town to maintain a watchful eye on Custaloga's actions.
On November 29, 1778, Colonel James Smith led an expedition from Fort Pitt
to Custaloga's Town, but found the Indian town evacuated. After this date very little is recorded about Custaloga. Captain Pipe had become Custaloga's successor as leader of the Wolf Clan of the Delaware. Some believe he lived in Ohio after he left Custaloga's Town.
The first log cabin on site was built in 1794 and the Heydrick Homestead was started by Dr. Charles Heydrick in 1820. This nearly 200-year-old building is still in use by the French Creek Council. The Heydrick farm continued to be operated through 1946.
In 1963, the Mercer County Council purchased the land for the development of a camp to replace Camp Kiondashawa. Jim Dunlop was president for four years during the fund drive and construction of the reservation. Carlton Hutchison was chairman of the camp fund drive. John Gross, the person who found this site, was the architect of buildings and camp layout. Vern Smith was camp development chairman for Mercer County Council.
Custaloga Town Scout Reservation opened to scout camping in the summer of 1967. A year later, the first scout summer camp season was held, with Dr. Frederick J. Brenner serving as Camp Director. Custaloga Town Scout Reservation was officially dedicated on Saturday, July 19, 1969.
A scout reservation refers to a camping facility that include more than one camp. As such, Custaloga Town includes Camp Hank Forker—which is and has always been the only camp. It is for this reason that the name Hank Forker is almost always ignored on promotional materials, patches, and programs. Plans for a second camp on the reservation have been in the making for many, many years. However, camp is always referred to as Custaloga Town.
Mercer County Council, which had been renamed the Custaloga Council, would later merge with Washington Trail and Colonel Drake councils to form the French Creek Council. After the closings of the other two former council camps, Sequoyah and Coffman, Custaloga Town became the main camping facility for the French Creek Council.
Each year Custaloga Town Scout Reservation hosts hundreds of Scouts from all over the United States.
Lodge for the French Creek Council is Langundowi Lodge #46. This Lodge came into existence in 1972 with the merger of the former Eriez Lodge #46 (Erie, PA), Hoh-Squa-Sa-Gah-Da Lodge #251 (Sharon, PA) and the Skanondo Inyan Lodge #256 (Oil City, PA). The name "Langundowi" means "Peaceful One" in Lenape. The Lodge totem is the Iroquois Great Tree of Peace
. Langundowi Lodge has been a strong and integral part of the French Creek Council since the merger and continues to be a leader in the local, sectional and national levels.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and one township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The council was organized in 1972 from a merger of the former Washington Trail Council of Erie
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, Custaloga Council of Sharon
Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in the United States, northwest of Pittsburgh. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and Colonel Drake Council of Oil City
Oil City, Pennsylvania
Oil City is a city in Venango County, Pennsylvania that is known in the initial exploration and development of the petroleum industry. After the first oil wells were drilled nearby in the 1850s, Oil City became central in the petroleum industry while hosting headquarters for the Pennzoil, Quaker...
, Pennsylvania. It has headquarters in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Organization
- Chief Kiondashawa District serves Mercer CountyMercer County, PennsylvaniaMercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 116,638. Its county seat is Mercer; Sharon is its largest city....
and Brookfield Township, OhioBrookfield Township, Trumbull County, OhioBrookfield Township is one of the twenty-four townships of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 10,020 people in the township, 9,921 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
. - Colonel Drake District serves Venango CountyVenango County, PennsylvaniaVenango County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,984. Its county seat is Franklin.-History:Venango County was created on March 12, 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties...
, Clarion CountyClarion County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 41,765 people, 16,052 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile . There were 19,426 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
and Forest CountyForest County, PennsylvaniaForest County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population is 7,716. Forest County is famous as a rural retreat. Nearly 75% of all dwellings in the county are second or vacation homes . Forest County does not have a single traffic light, the only county in the...
as well as the TitusvilleTitusville, PennsylvaniaTitusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.-History:...
area in Crawford County. - Oliver Perry District serves 12 school districts along the lakeshore in Erie County, PennsylvaniaErie County, PennsylvaniaErie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 280,566. Its county seat is the City of Erie.- Geography :...
. - Washington Trail District serves the remainder of Crawford CountyCrawford County, PennsylvaniaCrawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 88,765.Crawford County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named for Colonel William Crawford...
and the southern half of Erie County.
Camps
The French Creek Council owns and operates a 525 acres (2.1 km²) facility known as Custaloga Town Scout Reservation located along French CreekFrench Creek (Allegheny River)
French Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York in the United States.- Etymology :...
in Mercer and Venango counties.
The area of Custaloga Town was inhabited by members of the Wolf Clan of the Seneca under the leadership of Chief Guyasutha
Guyasuta
Guyasuta was an important leader of the Seneca people in the second half of the eighteenth century, playing a central role in the diplomacy and warfare of that era...
, who served as the League Deputy or "half king" on the Allegheny-Ohio. Guyasutha was the uncle of Chief Cornplanter and is buried on the grounds of Custaloga Town Scout Reservation.
Chief Custaloga of the Wolf Clan of Delawares arrived at the present site of Custaloga Town Scout Reservation in the mid 18th century and built a sizeable village here, which became his principal seat. Custaloga's name first appeared in western Pennsylvania's history in "George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's Journal of 1753". When Washington arrived at Fort Machault
Fort Machault
Fort Machault was a fort built by the French in 1754 near the confluence of French Creek with the Allegheny River, at present-day Franklin, in northwest Pennsylvania. The fort was part of a line that included Fort Presque Isle, Fort Le Boeuf, and Fort Duquesne.- Description:The fort was built on a...
in the village of Venango (present Franklin, PA), Custaloga was in charge of the wampum of his nation.
Since Custaloga had aided Chief Pontiac
Chief Pontiac
Pontiac or Obwandiyag , was an Ottawa leader who became famous for his role in Pontiac's Rebellion , an American Indian struggle against the British military occupation of the Great Lakes region following the British victory in the French and Indian War. Historians disagree about Pontiac's...
in his rebellion, the white settlers were wary of the actions of Custaloga and asked Guyasutha to live among his people at Custaloga's Town to maintain a watchful eye on Custaloga's actions.
On November 29, 1778, Colonel James Smith led an expedition from Fort Pitt
Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)
Fort Pitt was a fort built at the location of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.-French and Indian War:The fort was built from 1759 to 1761 during the French and Indian War , next to the site of former Fort Duquesne, at the confluence the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River...
to Custaloga's Town, but found the Indian town evacuated. After this date very little is recorded about Custaloga. Captain Pipe had become Custaloga's successor as leader of the Wolf Clan of the Delaware. Some believe he lived in Ohio after he left Custaloga's Town.
The first log cabin on site was built in 1794 and the Heydrick Homestead was started by Dr. Charles Heydrick in 1820. This nearly 200-year-old building is still in use by the French Creek Council. The Heydrick farm continued to be operated through 1946.
In 1963, the Mercer County Council purchased the land for the development of a camp to replace Camp Kiondashawa. Jim Dunlop was president for four years during the fund drive and construction of the reservation. Carlton Hutchison was chairman of the camp fund drive. John Gross, the person who found this site, was the architect of buildings and camp layout. Vern Smith was camp development chairman for Mercer County Council.
Custaloga Town Scout Reservation opened to scout camping in the summer of 1967. A year later, the first scout summer camp season was held, with Dr. Frederick J. Brenner serving as Camp Director. Custaloga Town Scout Reservation was officially dedicated on Saturday, July 19, 1969.
A scout reservation refers to a camping facility that include more than one camp. As such, Custaloga Town includes Camp Hank Forker—which is and has always been the only camp. It is for this reason that the name Hank Forker is almost always ignored on promotional materials, patches, and programs. Plans for a second camp on the reservation have been in the making for many, many years. However, camp is always referred to as Custaloga Town.
Mercer County Council, which had been renamed the Custaloga Council, would later merge with Washington Trail and Colonel Drake councils to form the French Creek Council. After the closings of the other two former council camps, Sequoyah and Coffman, Custaloga Town became the main camping facility for the French Creek Council.
Each year Custaloga Town Scout Reservation hosts hundreds of Scouts from all over the United States.
Langundowi Lodge
The Order of the ArrowOrder of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America . It uses American Indian-styled traditions and ceremonies to bestow recognition on scouts selected by their peers as best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting. The society was created by E. Urner Goodman, with the...
Lodge for the French Creek Council is Langundowi Lodge #46. This Lodge came into existence in 1972 with the merger of the former Eriez Lodge #46 (Erie, PA), Hoh-Squa-Sa-Gah-Da Lodge #251 (Sharon, PA) and the Skanondo Inyan Lodge #256 (Oil City, PA). The name "Langundowi" means "Peaceful One" in Lenape. The Lodge totem is the Iroquois Great Tree of Peace
Tree of Peace
The Tree of Peace is a symbol of peace in the Iroquois culture. Tree are important symbols of peace in Iroquois tradition and in the historical record of diplomacy between the Iroquois and Westerners. Weapons would be buried under a tree to seal a peace agreement. A tree might even be uprooted to...
. Langundowi Lodge has been a strong and integral part of the French Creek Council since the merger and continues to be a leader in the local, sectional and national levels.