Eagle Scouts of 1925 Government Trail Building Project Honored at Pacific Harbors Council
Tacoma, WA (PRWEB) February 13, 2014 -- Thirteen Eagle Scouts and their Scoutmasters were recognized by the Pacific Harbors Boy Scout Council for their work in building the first trails by Eagle Scouts for the National Park Service (NPS) in 1925 which forged a partnership between BSA and the NPS that has continued to this day. The history of the project was presented by way of a wall display to the Pacific Harbors Council by the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation highlighting the pioneering project by 13 hand-selected Eagle Scouts from Tacoma, Seattle, Bellingham and Everett.
The original trail head marker was rediscovered in the summer of 2013 by Retired Mt. Rainier National Park Archeologist Carl Fabiani and Christopher Finn and read, “EAGLE TRAIL, BUILT BY SCOUTS OF EAGLE RANK, WESTERN WASHINGTON 1925.” The discovery of the trail and documents supporting its construction were located based on a reference made to Mt. Rainier in a recorded lecture in the 1970's by one of the Eagle Scouts involved, author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard.
The project was originally published on 13 August 1925 in the Tacoma News Tribune which headlined, “Scouts Begin Trail-Making Project in Park” and outlined the project that included the top Eagle Scouts from Western Washington cities who constructed two trails over a 10-day period with their lodging, food and expenses covered by the government.
Ted Woodlock, Acting Scout Executive of Pacific Harbors Boy Scout Council stated, “This display will be enjoyed by many for years to come and highlights an integral part of the history and tradition of what our Scouts continue to exemplify through doing a 'good turn daily' in communities throughout the Pacific Northwest.”
The display can be viewed in the “Great Room” at the Pacific Harbors Boy Scout Council and features historical documents, newspaper articles, photographs, names of the Scoutmasters and Eagle Scouts involved and a letter from the 1925 Mt. Rainier Park Superintendent acknowledging them for their work and contribution to Mt. Rainier National Park.
At the presentation, Pacific Harbors Council honored Eagle Scout L. Ron Hubbard with a "Lifetime of Remarkable Achievement Award" commemorating the 90th anniversary year of him becoming a Scout at Tacoma’s 1923 Black Eagle Patrol, Troop 31 and in recognition of his Humanitarian work for the betterment of mankind. After starting as a scout in Tacoma, L. Ron Hubbard went on to become the nation's youngest Eagle Scout of the era.
Eagle Scouts from the 1925 project included (in alphabetical order); Merton Benham, Floyd Hanson, Glen Hofeditz, Glen Peterson, L. Ron Hubbard, Norman Hume, Al Jorgensen, Albert King, Clifford O’ Connor, Quintin Peniston, Norman Sears, Harry Shaffer and Vernon Vine.
Louis Ricketts, Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation, http://www.lronhubbard.org, (323) 9533292, [email protected]
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