Scouting in Oklahoma 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.
Early history (1909–1950) The first Boy Scout troop in America is claimed to have been organized in Pawhuska, in May 1909 by John F. Mitchell. Pawhuska is in the Cherokee Area Council.
In 1917, the Guthrie Council was formed. It closed in 1918.
In 1921, the Miami Council was formed. It closed that same year.
The Hobart Council (#476) was founded in 1922. It closed in 1925.
The Durant Council was founded in 1921 and changed its name in 1923 to the Kiamichi Area Council (#736).
In 1930, the Kiamichi Area Council (#736) dissolved with parts going to T-O Council, Lamar County Council, Red River Area Council and the Pontotoc County Council.
In 1918, the Ardmore Council (#468) was founded. It merged into the Red River Area Council (#468) in 1925.
In 1922, the Garvin and McClain Area Council (#475) was founded. It merged into the Red River Area Council (#468) in 1925.
In 1925, the Red River Area Council (#468) was founded. It changed its name to the Chickasaw Council (#468) in 1930.
In 1930, the Chickasaw Council (#468) was founded. It merged into the Arbuckle Area Council in 1946.
In 1920, the Pontotoc County Council (#484) was founded. It merged into the Arbuckle Area Council in 1946.
In 1917, the Bartlesville Council (#469) was founded. It changed its name to the Cherokee Area Council (#469) in 1925.
In 1922, the Pawhuska Council (#462) was founded. It changed its name to the Osage County Council in 1923.
In 1923, the Osage County Council (#482) was founded. It changed its name to the Osage and Pawnee Counties Area Council (#469) in 1925. In 1926, the council changes its name to the Pawhuska Council (#482), which merged with the Cherokee Area Council (#469) in 1928.
In 1927, the Northeastern Oklahoma Council (#566) was founded. It merged with the Cherokee Area Council (#469) in 1929.
The Cherokee Area Council (#469) was founded in 1925.
The Stillwater Council was founded in 1916. It merged into Cimarron Valley Council (#473) in 1922.
The Creek County Council was founded in 1922. It merged into Cimarron Valley Council (#473) in 1922.
The Cimarron Valley Area Council (#473) was founded in 1922. It merged in to the Will Rogers Council (#473) in 1948.
The Ponca City Council (#483) was founded in 1921, changing its name to the Noble-Kay Counties Council (#483) in 1926. Noble-Kay Counties changed its name to the Northern Oklahoma Council (#483) in 1929. Northern Oklahoma changed its name to the Ponca Area Council (#483) in 1931. Ponca Area changed its name to the Northern Oklahoma Council (#483) in 1936. The Northern Oklahoma Council (#483) merged into the Will Rogers Council (#473) in 1948.
The Will Rogers Council (#473) was founded in 1948. It merged in to the Cimarron Council (#473) in 2000.
The Northwest Oklahoma Council (#570) was founded in 1927. It merged in to the Great Salt Plains Council (#474) in 1928.
The Great Salt Plains Council (#474) was founded in 1927. It merged in to the Cimarron Council (#473) in 2000.
The Enid Council was founded in 1921. It changed its name to the Garfield County Council (#474) in 1923.
The Shawnee Council (#485) was founded in 1919. It changed its name to the Pottawatomie Rogers Council (#485) in 1922. It changed its name to the Canadian Valley Council (#485) in 1927.
The Jackson County Council was founded in 1920. It changed its name to the Navajo Mountain Area Council (#476) in 1925.
The Chickasha Council (#471) was founded in 1918. It changed its name to the Grady County Area Council (#471) in 1926. The Grady County Council (#471) merged into the Black Beaver Council (#471) in 1930.
The Stephens County Council (#487) was founded in 1921. It changed its name to the Jefferson-Stephens Area Council (#487) in 1924. Jefferson-Stephens Area changed its name in 1930 to the Je-Ste-Co Council (#487). Je-Ste-Co merged into Black Beaver Council (#472) in 1932.
The Comanche County Council (#472) was founded in 1922. It changed its name to the Black Beaver Area Council (#472) in 1925. The Black Beaver Area Council (#472) merged into the Navajo Mountain Area Council (#476) in 1927.
In 1925, the Navajo Mountain Area Council (#476) was founded. It merged into the Black Beaver Council (#471) in 1930.
In 1917, the Oklahoma City Council (#480) was founded.
In 1920, the Norman Council (#479) was founded. It merged into the Oklahoma City Council (#480) in 1927.
In 1928, the Oklahoma City Council (#480) merged into the Oklahoma County Council (#480).
In 1927, the Ca-Bla-Ki Council (#475) was founded. It merged into the Oklahoma County Council (#480) in 1928.
In 1927, the Washita Valley Council (#470) was founded. It merged into the Oklahoma County Council (#480) in 1933.
In 1927, the Canadian Valley Council (#485) was founded. It merged into the Last Frontier Council (#480) in 1947.
In 1930, the Oklahoma County Council (#480) changed its name to Central Oklahoma Council (#480). It merged into the Last Frontier Council (#480) in 1939.
In 1939, the Last Frontier Council (#480) was founded.
In 1911, the Tulsa Council (#488) was founded. It changed its name to the Tulsa County Council (#488) in 1922 after adding the remainder of Tulsa County. It changed its name to the Tulsa Area Council (#488) in 1936 after adding Rogers and Mayes Counties. It changed its name to the Indian Nations Council (#488) in 1957 after merging with the Creek Nations Council.
In 1920, the Pittsburg County Council (#477) was founded. It changed its name to the McAlester Council (#477) in 1921.
In 1920, the Sapulpa Council (#486) was founded. It changed its name to the Creek County Council (#486) in 1925.
In 1920, the Drumright Council was founded. It merged into the Creek County Council (#486) in 1922.
In 1927, the Creek County Council (#486) was founded. It merged into Creek Nation Area Council (#481) in 1928.
The Creek Nation Council (#481) was founded in 1928. It merged with the Indian Nations Council (#488) in 1957.
In 1922, the South Creek County Council (#470) was founded. It changed its name to the Bristow Council (#488) in 1923. It merged into the Okmulgee Council (#481) in 1927.
In 1919, the Okmulgee Council (#481) was founded. It changed its name to the Okmulgee County Council (#481) in 1927.
In 1921, the McAlester Council (#477) was founded. It changed its name to the Choctaw Area Council (#486) in 1926.
In 1917, the Muskogee Council (#478) was founded. It changed its name to the Muskogee Area Council (#478) in 1927. It changed its name to the Eastern Oklahoma Area Council (#478) in 1949.
The Choctaw Area Council (#477) was founded in 1926. It merged with the Indian Nations Council (#488) in 1971.
In 1928, the Tex-Okla Council (#489) was founded and merged into the Adobe Walls Council (#569) in 1931.
Recent history (1950–present)
The Eastern Oklahoma Area Council (#478) was founded in 1949. It merged with the Indian Nations Council (#488) in 1983.
The Indian Nations Council (#488) was founded in 1957.
The Cimarron Council (#473) was founded in 2000 from the merger of the Will Rogers Council (#473) and the Great Salt Plains Council (#474).
The Black Beaver Council, founded in 1930, merged into the Last Frontier Council (#480) in 1996.
The Cimarron Council (#473), founded in 2000, merged into the Last Frontier Council (#480) operationally on February 1st, 2025, and legally and formally on May 1st, 2025.
Scouting in Oklahoma today Boy Scouts of America There are six Boy Scouts of America (BSA) local councils based in, or providing services within, the state of Oklahoma. All councils in Oklahoma are part of Council Service Territory 8.
Arbuckle Area Council #468
The Boy Scouts of America Arbuckle Area Council maintains offices in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and serves youth and their families in Pontotoc, Murray, Johnston, Garvin, Coal, Atoka, Carter, Love and Marshall counties in southern Oklahoma and the city of Ringling. The Arbuckle Area Council provides a web presence for its membership and other interested persons.
Districts Chickasaw District covers Carter, Love, Marshall, Johnston counties and the city of Ringling Harry Miller District covers Pontotoc, Atoka, and Coal counties. Washita District covers Murray and Garvin counties.
Camps Camp Simpson, southern Oklahoma's "slice of heaven." Home to Summer Camp and Winter Camp activities. Also available for year-round reservations. Motel room rentals, proms, weddings, family reunions, youth camps, church retreats, school outings.
Order of the Arrow Wisawanik Lodge #190
Cherokee Area Council #469
The Boy Scouts of America Cherokee Area Council maintains an office in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and serves youth and their families in northeastern Oklahoma. The Council provides a web presence for its membership and other interested persons. Communities served by the council include Pawhuska, Bartlesville, Nowata, Vinita, Grove, Miami, and many others in six northeastern counties of Oklahoma.
Districts Grand Lake District Osage Hills District
Camps Camp McClintock - Outside of Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Order of the Arrow Washita Lodge #288
Circle Ten Council #571
The Circle Ten Council serves youth in North Central Texas and the Southeast Oklahoma counties of Bryan, McCurtain, Choctaw, and the southern three quarters of Pushmataha. Bryan County falls under the Texoma Valley District of the Council.
Golden Spread Council #562
The Golden Spread Council serves Scouts in Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle counties of Cimarron, Texas, and western half of Beaver. The Oklahoma counties fall in the Lone Wolf District.
Indian Nations Council #488
The Indian Nations Council maintains offices in Tulsa and serves most of eastern Oklahoma. The Indian Nations Council provides a web presence for its membership and other interested persons.
The Council Scout Executive is Art Hawkins, who has held the position since 1 November 2021.
Districts Redbud District Scissortail District Will Rogers District
Camp Properties Mabee Scout Reservation, Locust Grove Jack Graves Scout Reservation, Broken Arrow Hale Scout Reservation, Talihina Zink Scout Ranch (ZBASE + Cubworld), Sand Springs Cherokee Nation Scout Ranch (Camp Fred Darby), Welling
Order of the Arrow
The Ta Tsu Hwa Lodge (#138) was formed in 1938 under the name of "Yaqui". In 1957 Yaqui Lodge merged with the Checote Lodge (#154) due to the merger of the Tulsa Area Council and the Creek Nation Council, creating the Indian Nations Council. The new lodge was named the "Daw Zu" Lodge (#138). In 1959 the lodge was renamed "Ta Tsu Hwa," meaning "Red Bird". Between 1959 and the present day, the Lodge absorbed the "Oskihoma" Lodge (#320) and the "Ni-U-Kon-Ska" Lodge (#328) as the Indian Nations Council absorbed the Choctaw Area Council and the Eastern Oklahoma Council.
The distinctive "Red Bird" lodge flap of the Ta Tsu Hwa Lodge is shaped differently than the standard pocket flap.
Last Frontier Council #480
The Last Frontier Council operates ten camps and is based in three service centers which are located in Enid, Lawton and Oklahoma City. Last Frontier Council supports its volunteer leaders, who deliver Scouting in all or parts of 42 counties in central, north-central, western and southwestern Oklahoma.
Districts The 101 District geographic territory covers the northern Oklahoma counties of Grant and Kay as well as a portion of Osage County.
Big Tepee District serves Scouts in Midwest City, Del City, Tinker AFB, Choctaw, Nicoma Park, Harrah, and South Oklahoma City.
Black Beaver District serves Scouts in Comanche, Cotton, Caddo, Grady, Stephens, Jefferson, Jackson, Tillman, Kiowa, Greer, and Harmon Counties.
The Black Kettle District serves Scouts in the Northwestern Oklahoma counties of Grant, Alfalfa, Major, Blaine, Dewey, Ellis, Woodward, Harper, Woods Counties.