Scouting in Iowa

Scouting in Iowa has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

Scouting began in Jewell, Iowa, due to the generosity of Mrs. Carrie A. Strong. Mrs. Strong had resided in Jewell and moved to California, but due to her interest in the town even after relocation, she gave the town of Jewell its first step in Scouting. In 1916, Mrs. Strong came back to Jewell for her annual visit went before the city fathers to tell them that she would provide the fund to buy and build a Scout House on, and give $1000 to construct a building suitable for the Scout program.

A parcel of land was bought from H. K. and Christian Gronbeck on October 14, 1916, for the sum of $840.00. The building was let to Peterson Builders for the Scout House 240 by 48 feet and 12 foot high. The completed cost for the building was $935.00. The First Scoutmaster was Reverend Norstad and his assistants were professors from the then Jewell Lutheran College [Wikidata]. F. H. Ferbitz became Scoutmaster in October 1923 with 28 Scouts under his leadership. A Fife and Drum Corp was also started at that time and the grounds were cleaned and the building painted. A basketball league was formed which consisted of four teams. After the basketball games, the boys would have what they referred to as, "a feed." These feeds were paid for by the continued contributions of Mrs. Strong up to the time of her death on November 27, 1923.

During the 1950s and 1960s eastern Iowa was home to the Buffalo Bill Area Council (#176) spanning an area from Dubuque to Muscatine. The council office was located in Davenport. The summer camp, Camp Minneyata, was outside of Dixon on the Wapsipinicon River and featured a canoe base, swimming pool, and lodge hall. The Order of the Arrow Lodge was the "Golden Eagle" Lodge, No. 313.^{[citation needed]}

The Mid-America Council (#326) was formed from a merger of the Covered Wagon Council (#326) and the Southwest Iowa Council (#175) in 1965. In 2000 the council merged with the Prairie Gold Area Council (#179) that had been located in Sioux City, Iowa.

In 1918, the Keokuk Council was founded, folding in 1919. In 1920, the Fort Madison Council (#180) was founded, and closed in 1928.

In 1917, the Burlington Council (#171) was founded, changing its name to Southeast Iowa Council (#171) in 1929. The Southeast Iowa Council merged into the Mississippi Valley Council (#141) in 1993.

There are eight BSA local councils serving Iowa.