Welcome to the Blue Ridge Scouting History Blog, celebrating stories from the Roanoke Area Council, Piedmont Area Council, and Blue Ridge Mountains Council, BSA. You’ll find here a good assortment of narratives, photos and artifacts from over the years, going back to our first council’s origins in 1915. This project has had many versions over the past 25 years, and has grown into a robust archive of stories, images, newspaper articles and other source documents. If you wish to contribute any of the above, please contact the editor by using our Contact Form. In the name of preservation, we appreciate your help!
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Hankins Tales: Camp Powhatan Memories
(Originally posted to social media on May 22, 2022) When I first started working at Camp Powhatan back in the late 60s I was still very young. In 1968 I would not turn 16 until November of that year. I did not own a car so on weekends I would stay behind in Camp and…
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Hankins Tales: Claytor Lake Aquatics Base to Close
(Originally posted to social media on August 11, 2022) I was deeply saddened to see that the BRMC is selling the Claytor Lake Aquatics Base. I worked there for two seasons as a summer Ranger but in that time I fell in love with the facility. The lake itself was the primary feature that was…
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Hankins Tales: Logging Days Camp on the High Knoll Trail
(Originally posted to social media on August 22, 2022) This is an insane photo from the first or second year of High Knoll Trail Camp. I do not remember being that skinny. This was at the logging days camp on White Oak Creek. This is in the broad shadow of Chimney rock mountain. This photo…
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Hankins Tales: Remembering L.E. Byrum
(Originally posted to social media on September 26, 2022) A good friend just sent a message letting me know that L. E. Byrum has passed away. I have not had any contact with L.E. since I retired 8 years ago. There was a time when he and I were very good friends. Any staff members…
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Hankins Tales: My First Camporee
(Originally posted to social media on November 22, 2022) In the early 1960s when I first became a Boy Scout I went to my first District Camporee. I do not recall what time of year it was but it was cold. I don’t think that I ever went on one Scout campout that was not…
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Hankins Tales: Camp Ottari Clearcut
(Originally posted to social media on January 25, 2023) A lot of my friends will recognize this view at Camp Ottari. When I was the Nature Director many years ago I was the first to make that view available. We would trudge up that mountain each day and take down hundreds of trees and brush…
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Hankins Tales: Remembering Andy Arrington
(Originally posted to social media on January 25, 2023) I got a message from Marc Arrington that his older brother Andy just passed away. He was only 67, still a young man. I remember Andy very well even after all these years. He was a fine young man from Rocky Mt. Virginia. When I was…
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Hankins Tales: Looking Ahead to the OA Conclave
(Originally posted to social media on January 10 & 31, 2023) January 10 – I am planning to be at the OA Conclave at Camp Powhatan to tell a story at the campfire. I have been asked by a number of different people to be sure to set that date aside. I have not had…