UNDER CONSTRUCTION
GULF COAST COUNCIL 1934 to present (Pensacola) |
Last updated 4/26/26
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was SATSUMALAND COUNCIL 1927 to 1934
PENSACOLA COUNCIL (second class) 1914 to 1916
PENSACOLA COUNCIL (second class) 1914 to 1916
REScouting began in the northwestern part of Florida with the formation of Pensacola Council in 1914. The organization was classified as a second class council, led by volunteers with no professional staff or employees. This lasted but a few years, finally disbanding in 1916. Local leadership began again in 1927, with Satsumaland Council as a first class council, supervising three counties in Florida (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa), and three counties in Alabama (Escambia, Monroe, Conecuh). By 1930 the size had been reduced, with the transfer of the three Alabama counties to join the council in Mobile. While the official borders of Satsumaland remained the three Florida counties, other troops in Florida outside of those borders could apply to be supervised by the council. In July 1934 the official map was re-drawn, giving the rest of the Florida counties west of the Apalachicola River (Walton, Jackson, Bay, Calhoun, Holmes, Gulf, Washington) to Satsumaland. By the end of 1934, the council was re-named "Gulf Coast Council." In early 1936, the three counties in Alabama that had been moved into Mobile were brought back into Gulf Coast. On January 1, 1955, Calhoun and Jackson counties were removed from Gulf Coast, and became part of Southeast Alabama Council (later named Alabama - Florida Council).
KNOWN CAMPS, PROPERTIES, AND PROGRAM NAMES |
CAMP FRED SCOTT, 1927 (Satsumaland Council)
The first summer encampment for Satsumaland Council was held in August 1927, at Camp Fred Scott, located on Perdido Bay, in Baldwin County, Alabama. The venue was owned by Fred Scott, a local real estate developer, and was made available to many civic and youth organizations in the area. Over 100 Scouts attended the two-week camp. The venue was also used for short-term events.
CAMP McCASKILL, 1928 (Satsumaland Council)
In 1928, the council held its second annual encampment, with the name of Camp McCaskill. The location is not readily apparent, but a newspaper article reported that over 50 attendees were taken to the camp by boat.
CAMP ROBINSON, 1929 (Satsumaland Council)
Camp Robinson was the name used for the 1929 camping season, held at Robinson Point, on Blackwater Bay, four miles south of Bagdad. Two week-long periods were run in June, with more than 90 Scouts in total. A belt "award" system was implemented, signified by recognitions for completed achievements painted onto the Scout's belt by staff members. Despite the success of the 1929 camping season, the site location was temporary, and the council began a search for a permanent venue.
CAMP HARRISON, 1930 to 1932 (Satsumaland Council)
Another borrowed property was used for the council summer camps, while searching for a long-term home. Camp Harrison was located on the east shore of Escambia Bay, one mile south of the town of Floridatown in Santa Rosa County. The property was owned by William Harrison, a banker from Milton, and was once a plantation site on the Kelter Spanish land grant. Attendance in 1930 was limited to 50 Scouts for each of the two ten-day periods. "Each Scout who registers this year will receive a special camper's 'over-seas cap'. It will be made of dark green felt trimmed in yellow. The letters '30' will be sewn on the side of this attractive Camp hat." (Pensacola News Journal, February 23, 1930). The following year, "every Scout who registers for Camp Harrison this year will receive a special designed 'Camp Harrison' insignia to be sewn on the Scout shirt over the right pocket." (Pensacola News Journal, April 4, 1931). One session of camp in 1931 was to include a patrol of "younger boys" (age 9-12). Camp Harrison was opened on the same site in 1932, while Satsumaland Council officials searched for a long-term location. No record has been found of Camp Harrison used as a summer camp venue after 1932,
CAMP RUCKLES 1933 (Satsumaland Council)
What was originally billed as the "Niceville Troop Camp" was held in May 1933, at a 40 acre site near that city. Unlike the provisional camping that had been used in the past, troops were required to attend as a unit. The program was dubbed "Camp Ruckles", named after C. W. Ruckles of Valpariso. Seventy-five Scouts attended this week-long event.
CAMP BIG HEART 1934 to 1962 (Satsumaland Council, Gulf Coast Council)
Satsumaland Council secured a long-term location for a camping facility in May 1934, on US Navy property in Santa Rosa County, about two miles east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge, on a tract known as the "Live Oak Reservation", on the south side of US Highway 98. By 1936, the camp had a dining hall, recreation hall, and nine cabins, and troops from several councils across the South attended Big Heart, including a troop from Missouri. At its peak in the 1950s, Camp Big Heart held ten weeks of summer camp each year. But by 1955, the camp was deemed to be dilapidated and unsuitable for long term camp use. While the camp continued to be used for several years for weekend and training activities, long-term activities moved to other locations. Ownership of the property also became contentious, as the title to the "Live Oak Plantations" property moved in and out of court for several years.
CAMP SINTON (Segregated Scout Camp) 1947 to 1955
A segregated summer camp for Gulf Coast Council appears to have begun in 1942, with a weeklong program at Skinner's Park. Summer camps continued to be held at local venues around Pensacola through 1946, for the African-American Scouts of the council, in what was called the Rainbow Division. The following year, through the work of U.S. Navy Captain (later Rear Admiral) William Sinton, summer programs for 1947 and 1948 were held at Fort Barrancas, a naval property in Pensacola. A more permanent site was dedicated as Camp Sinton, located in the Live Oak Reservation, across the highway from Camp Big Heart on the north side of US Highway 98. Camp Sinton was also made available for the use of the segregated program by the local Girl Scouts. By the end of 1955, this location was deemed inadequate for summer camp programs, much like Big Heart, but was still available for weekend events. In the early 1960s, the property where Camp Sinton was located was part of a larger dispute over the title on the land on the north side of the highway, where the state wanted to build a college.
CAMP ROBBINS 1956 to 1960s
In 1956, Gulf Coast Council secured another temporary camp, located on the Eglin Air Force Base grounds outside Fort Walton Beach. Camp Robbins was built in a section of the base on Choctawhatee Bay, with a dining hall, dormitories, and campsites. In 1956 and 1957, the weekly sessions during the summer were capped at 150 attendees due to the use of the base dining hall, and the last week of the season reserved for the troops in the segregated division. The stay at Camp Robbins was never intended to be a permanent solution for an adequate summer camp venue, as the facility was small, with no room for expansion, and subject to closure by base security if there were any military issues. After the long-term camping programs moved to their new location, Camp Robbins was used for weekend events, meetings, and by the Boy Scout and Girl Scout units sponsored by the base.
SPANISH TRAIL SCOUT RESERVATION 1959 to present
The permanent camping facility for Gulf Coast Council was obtained in 1959, with the purchase of 940 acres, located six miles west of DeFuniak Springs. What became known as Spanish Trail Scout Reservation opened in 1961. The reservation has two camping areas: Camp Euchee is the main location for the programs, Camp Jambo is a primitive camping area.
Several articles have been found from the 1960s, referring to "Blue Springs Boy Scout Camp", near Chipley on the Econfina River. All articles refer to annual reunions at that location by the Gainey family, who has settled in the Panhandle in the 1800s. No camp property or program run by any council has been found for that name or location.