Great OA history resource

While researching a new article about an activity patch today I came across a great online resource that may prove helpful to others who are interested in the history of the Order of the Arrow.

The site is the Digital Archive of the Order of the Arrow, located at http://www.oaarchive.org/
It's an official site of the OA, though I was not able to find any reference to it on the official OA BSA site.

Although the site requires a search to bring up any content, the results are treasures for those seeking scanned copies of old National OA Bulletings, pictures of event patches, and much more. You can search by keyword, date range, and much more, or to just get an idea of what's available click the random images button.

Here's a great example of the gems buried within the OA Digital Archives. From the Summer 1955 National OA Bulletin:

Kecoughtan A-1 arrowhead patch design pattern

In October of 2006 an eBay auction featuring the original Kecoughtan A-1 arrowhead patch pattern from the manufacturer was won by Michael McCaughan, a Virginia OA collector and member of Blue Heron Lodge 349.

Michael was kind to share pictures of the pattern and the sample patch with me to include on my web site. He described the pictures in an email:

Here is a picture of the A1 design, the A1 they retained as a sample, and a close up picture of the thread count (in case you were curious). There is also what I think may be an order date (7/52) written in pencil on the top.

I asked Michael if he knew how the patch pattern came to be sold on eBay and he provided this explanation about the source, which is believed to be Midwest Swiss Embroideries of Chicago, Illinois, which was founded in 1950:

Apparently all their stuff was in storage in a warehouse in Chicago and the entire warehouse was sold off and cleaned out. All the patches were rescued by one of the workers who recognized the patches as Boy Scout items from his own time there and took the lot of them and put them in a garage/storage unit. Periodically he's been picking his way through it and eBaying the Boy Scout stuff.

The pictures above and below link to full-size images. The pattern itself should definitely be viewed enlarged so that you can appreciate the fine hand-drawn details of the design that dates back over half a century ago, long before the age of computer aided design programs!


Note that it was not unusual for a patch manufacturer to retain a slightly flawed patch in their files like the one above missing a letter, since the sample did not need to be perfect but the finished product delivered to the customer should be.

1976, 1978 SE-1 Conclave Booklets posted

The booklets provided to Section conclave attendees provide not only helpful information about campsite locations, daily agendas, and meal menus, but many years later offer a unique insight into the history of the Section and the lodges that comprised it.

I've been fortunate to come across booklets from the 1976 SE-1 Conclave hosted by Guneukitschick Lodge 317 at Sinoquipe Scout Reservation near Fort Littleton, PA and the 1978 SE-1 Conclave hosted by Kecoughtan Lodge 463 at the former Camp Chickahominy, near Lightfoot, VA. Camp Chickahominy was also known as Peninsula Scout Reservation.


Both documents are quick downloads in PDF format, and feature painstakingly typewritten content that includes Section and Lodge histories as well as program-related documentation that often seems just as relevant thirty years later. I hope you will take the time to check them out!

1976 SE-1 Conclave Booklet
1978 SE-1 Conclave Booklet

Chanco Emblem Issues Reference online

DeWitt Holland, a longtime member of Chanco Lodge and designer of many of it's patches, provided me with a copy of Chanco Lodge 483 Issues 1952-1991, the emblem reference guide that was distributed to attendees of the 1992 Section SE-8 Conclave that was hosted by Lodge 483 at Camp Siouan.

The booklet features photocopied pages with typewritten details and photographs of each patch issued by Chanco Lodge, and has been updated to include emblems released until the merger with Kecoughtan Lodge at the end of 1995.

Compiled by DeWitt Holland, Tom Queen, Ron Godby, and Ray Johnson, this document is now available online in PDF format, and while it may seem primitive by today's standards, it remains a priceless reference for collectors of Lodge 483 memorabilia. Every lodge flap, neckerchief patch, activity patch, and more issued during Chanco's 43 years of existence are included.

Chanco Lodge 483 History booklet posted

Junior Harrell, a former member of Chanco Lodge in the 70's who now owns and operates the Broad Creek Fishing Center on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, kindly provided me with original copies of the Chanco Lodge Bylaws from 1971 and the Chanco Lodge 483 History booklet which was published in 1972 on the occasion of the Lodge's 20th anniversary.

Both are now available in PDF format following the links above. The Lodge History booklet includes information about Chanco Lodge officers, Vigil Honor Recipients, and Lay Advisors from the inception of the Lodge through 1972. I am actively seeking this data for the years 1973-1996 when the Lodge merged so that I can compile lists similar to those which are linked from the Kecoughtan Lodge History page. Please let me know if you can help!

The story behind Kecoughtan's last flap patch

The last Lodge flap issued by Kecoughtan Lodge has an interesting and colorful history. Recently I was able to converse via email with the designer of this patch and learn details about its heritage that add to its unique nature in the gallery of Kecoughtan Lodge's emblems.

Paul Kerstendiecks was an adult volunteer who previously designed three activity patches for the Lodge, the 1994 Winter Fellowship (see original design artwork here), the 1994 Spring Ordeal, and the 1994 Christmas Banquet. He was approached by Trading Post Advisor Dr. Ron Godby to design an anniversary patch for the Lodge to celebrate its 45 years of service.

Dr. Godby's singular design stipulation was that the patch not include the 3 ships that were prominently featured on the standard Lodge flap. These ships had come to be derisively referred to as "the slave ships" by some members of the Lodge who resented the change that was mandated by the Council Executive in August of 1988 from the original flap design that included confederate flags.

Paul recalls:

"It was to be an anniversary flap, and to incorporate something neutral as the "slave ships" were not liked by everyone in the Council/Lodge. Dr. Godby was trying to be sensitive to the entire Lodge with this concept. I had much artistic liberty to take it from there, his guidance was no ships though."

As you can see from the original design document, Paul included painstaking details that even included thread direction instructions to create the "starburst" effect in the green background and ensuring the spherical appearance of the acorns. Dr. Godby sent Paul a thank you letter with three of the flaps in March of 1996, writing "I've heard many comments that it was the prettiest flap ever issued and most appropriate for the final issue."

Remarkably, though, the patch was never designed as a "death flap." New York collector Bill Mulrenin defined this term in a post to the TSPA Patch Vine web site in 1996:

"A 'death' flap or patch is the final issue of a merging lodge specifically issued to commemorate the ending (death) of the lodge. They normally have the 'birth' and 'death' dates of the lodge on them. A tombstone as it were."

Paul explains that he didn't know of the upcoming merger, though more senior members of the Lodge probably did and says:

"I didn't intend the symbology. I wish I could say I had the knowledge and foresight, but I was simply expanding on the acorns, and making the patch balance out. When you look at it you can see focal points, and balance, follow-through ... artsy stuff."

With it's forest green background and simple design of oak leaves and acorns, the last flap patch of Kecoughtan Lodge stands in stark contrast to its predecessors, and serves as a fitting tribute to the Lodge's 45 years of cheerful service to the Virginia Peninsula. It's average value of 42.46 in the oaimages.com price guide makes the S38 final flap issue from Kecoughtan Lodge an affordable and essential part of a Kecoughtan Lodge emblems collection.

'Insignia and Memorabilia of Kecoughtan Lodge' from Dec. 1990 Scouting Collector's Quarterly

The original inspiration for the Kecoughtan Lodge Emblems and History web site was an article I read in the December 1990 issue of Scouting Collector's Quarterly, the regular publication of the National Scouting Collector's Society. Authored by Ron and Jeff Godby, the article is entitled "Insignia and Memorabilia of Kecoughtan Lodge 463." It represented the first time that anyone had attempted to catalog every type of emblem and collectible ever issued by the Lodge.

Several years later when I learned that Kecoughtan Lodge was to merge with Chanco Lodge I decided to create an internet reference of Kecoughtan emblems to preserve this unique bit of history. I asked for and received permission from Dr. Godby to use his checklists, and he generously sent me additional information and helped me obtain several rare Kecoughtan items for my own collection.

I've scanned and created a PDF document of this article, whose research represents the core around which all existing Kecoughtan emblem catalogs are based:

Insignia and Memorabilia of Kecoughtan Lodge 463 (7 MB)

Kecoughtan 40th Anniversary History Booklet

Back in January of this year I received an email from Alex Wiatt who had come across the Kecoughtan Emblems and History site and offered to help contribute information and images. He kindly loaned me a copy of the History Booklet which was compiled and published for the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Lodge in 1991. Alex was Editor of the booklet and Chairman of the 40th Anniversary Committee.

This booklet is a fascinating and thorough document, tracing the inception and development of the Lodge, including the story behind the Lodge's flap patch change from the original with confederate flags to the "3 ship design" that began with the S13 issue.

I've scanned the booklet and created a PDF document for those who would like to enjoy it. Be aware that it's currently 34 MB in size, so if you don't have a broadband internet connection you may want to wait for an optimized version I hope to post shortly. You can find the booklet here:

A Story of 40 Years of Brotherhood - Kecoughtan Lodge #463

Kecoughtan flap restrictions circa 1962

I just received a bound volume of early issues of The Trader, the first printed newsletter for our patch collecting hobby that began publishing in 1957. This new volume was created by Joe Maloy, who generously took the time to turn his collection of back issues into a printed, spiral bound copy and provide it to interested folks like me for just the cost of printing (with payment in the form of a Lodge flap of equivalent value.)

The Trader was edited by Mike Diamond and E. Forest Reynolds, and each carefully typewritten page and story displays a devotion to our hobby that's fascinating to read. This peek into the past reminds us how early traders thirsted for news and information the same way we do now, but depended upon the monthly delivery of The Trader by their postman to fill in the gaps between events like Area Pow Wows, Conclaves, and national Jamborees.

I've only begun to digest the content in the bound volume that includes 66 issues from 1957 through 1965, but found this report in the June, 1962 edition I thought would be of interest to other Kecoughtan Lodge collectors:

KECOUGHTAN LODGE #463 will hold its Spring Ordeal June 15-17 at Camp Ohee. There are 58 candidates for Ordeal, 87 for Brotherhood, and 3 for Vigil.

The 463 neckerchief is going to change to 100% embroidery and each lodge member will be able to buy one of the new ones. The old ones can now be traded. They were solid embroidery except for a small piece of sky. The border on the flap and neckerchief patches will be changed to the new overcasting stitch.

The flap restriction has been changed to one patch per 7 hours service.

Gene Fowler, 463

Kecoughtan history items posted

This evening I scoured my hard disk for items that I saved to post to the Kecoughtan Lodge Emblems and History site when I had time to devote to this effort. Needless to say there were more than a few, so check back often as I begin to add them.

Tonight I focused on the History page, adding three images from the original Kecoughtan Bylaws which came up for auction on eBay in April of this year. Sam Fairchild won this auction (much to my relief) so they remain in the hands of a former Kecoughtan arrowman.

I also added a photo of Hugh C. Ewing, Jr. and William (Bill) Leighty at Camp Chickahominy. Both of these gentlemen served as Lay Advisors for the Lodge, Ewing from 1983-1987, and Leighty from 1976-1979. This photo was contributed by Tim Ewing who informs me this is the last photo of Bill Leighty taken at Camp Chickahominy before his passing.

Kecoughtan Lodge Vigil Honor Recipients

Back in January of this year Herb Smith provided me with a complete list of Kecoughtan Lodge Vigil Honor Recipients to include on this site. The list includes not only the names of all Kecoughtan Arrowmen who were elected to the Vigil Honor, but also the dates of their election and induction and their Vigil Indian name and translation.

From the Lodge's inception in 1951 until it's merger in 1996 Kecoughtan Lodge awarded 220 Arrowmen with the Vigil Honor. I finally found time to generate a web page in Excel to put this vital part of the Lodge's history online. You'll find it linked from the Lodge History page.