BSA Troop 209 History
Boy Scout Troop 209 is sponsored by Woodside United Methodist Church for the Boy Scouts of America. We are in the National Capital Area Council and are located in Montgomery County, Maryland in the area known as Silver Spring. The Districts in which we have been included are Unknown (1934- 1953), Montgomery (1953-1971), Secota (1971-1981), Seneca (1981-1991), Olde Mill (1991-2003), Rock Creek (2003-2008), Montgomery (2008-2012), and Potomac (2012 to present).
The earliest records show that Troop 209 was in existence as early as 1918 which probably makes it the oldest Troop in our county. The first Scoutmaster of record was born in 1871. He must have had vision in the fledgling Boy Scout organization.
At one time, the Troop had their own “Scout Hut” which was a separate building behind the church. According to Chad Leyson, a Troop 209 Scout in the Troop 1935-41, his “father Sgt. Webster Leyson, arranged for the moving of a WWI temporary building from Walter Reed to the rear of the parking lot” at the church which was then on the SW corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street. When the church moved to the present location, the “Scout Hut” was not moved. Special funds were collected for the Scouts for a new Scout Hut at the new church location. For some reason, the new Scout Hut never materialized; however, the money collected was applied to building a super Scout Room in the new church. Money left over from the new Scout Room building was used to purchase several canoes for the Troop.
History indicates that in the late 1960s there were 50 Tenderfoot Scouts in the Troop at one time. Mr. Gerald Wilson, Scoutmaster 1966-68, indicated “all those young Scouts were a handful.”
Mrs. Ray Stokeley (Felicia), while her husband was Scoutmaster in 1969, hiked on foot with the Troop the entire length of the 184.5-mile C & O Canal tow path. The Troop did this over many campouts.
Past activities have included high adventures such as hiking the C & O Canal both on foot and by bicycle; taking 50-mile canoe trips on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River in Virginia; traversing the Lenhok’ Sin Trail at our Council’s Goshen Scout Reservation; backpacking and canoeing in the Adirondacks in New York State; canoeing in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada; National Scout Jamborees; and kayaking. We have done caving; rappelling; rock climbing; Scouting on the Mall; camporees; countless service projects such as First Night in Silver Spring, walkathons for the homeless, Adopt-a-Highway, and helping at the Shepherd’s Table. One high adventure took us to West Point Military Academy and to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Over the years, several Scouts and crews went to the Florida Sea Base in the Bahamas; Philmont Scout Reservation in Cimarron, NM; the Northern Tier (canoe base) in MN; a high adventure canoeing trip in Algonquin Park in Canada; Pine Creek Canyon (Grand Canyon of the East) in PA, Grand Tetons, and trips to Philadelphia and NYC.
In 2011, the Scouts and adults hiked a total of 3900 miles in preparation for the Philmont trip. Scout David Harris hiked 214 miles and Mr. Ed Varrone hiked 230 miles. Two crews of 12+/- went to Philmont.
In 2012, the Regional High Adventure for the younger Scouts went to The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania and packed, peddled, and paddled for a week. The National High Adventure went to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.
Other activities include monthly campouts, weekly Troop Meetings, service projects, aid to citizens and the community, annual program planning, model rockets and cars, bicycle rodeos, Merit Badge Day, Scout expositions, high adventures, summer camp, hosting the Webelos Weekend, Courts of Honor, skiing trips, winter camping, Klondike Derby, and fund raising projects such as car washes and The Pumpkin Patch, and the like. We camp most every month of the year as the schedule permits.
As of November 16, 2012 we have had 85 Scouts to earn the rank of Eagle Scout the first one being in 1934. Fifty-four dedicated people have had the title of Scoutmaster as a full time Scouting leadership position.
NOTE: Data for this history was researched from NCA Council and Troop files, newspaper articles, baptismal records of Woodside United Methodist Church, and by interviews of people associated with Troop 209 by Mr. & Mrs. Herbert J. Alleman. Districts from OA History in NCAC. Early on in Boy Scouting the church's minister was usually the Scoutmaster. Last update: January 2013.
The earliest records show that Troop 209 was in existence as early as 1918 which probably makes it the oldest Troop in our county. The first Scoutmaster of record was born in 1871. He must have had vision in the fledgling Boy Scout organization.
At one time, the Troop had their own “Scout Hut” which was a separate building behind the church. According to Chad Leyson, a Troop 209 Scout in the Troop 1935-41, his “father Sgt. Webster Leyson, arranged for the moving of a WWI temporary building from Walter Reed to the rear of the parking lot” at the church which was then on the SW corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street. When the church moved to the present location, the “Scout Hut” was not moved. Special funds were collected for the Scouts for a new Scout Hut at the new church location. For some reason, the new Scout Hut never materialized; however, the money collected was applied to building a super Scout Room in the new church. Money left over from the new Scout Room building was used to purchase several canoes for the Troop.
History indicates that in the late 1960s there were 50 Tenderfoot Scouts in the Troop at one time. Mr. Gerald Wilson, Scoutmaster 1966-68, indicated “all those young Scouts were a handful.”
Mrs. Ray Stokeley (Felicia), while her husband was Scoutmaster in 1969, hiked on foot with the Troop the entire length of the 184.5-mile C & O Canal tow path. The Troop did this over many campouts.
Past activities have included high adventures such as hiking the C & O Canal both on foot and by bicycle; taking 50-mile canoe trips on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River in Virginia; traversing the Lenhok’ Sin Trail at our Council’s Goshen Scout Reservation; backpacking and canoeing in the Adirondacks in New York State; canoeing in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada; National Scout Jamborees; and kayaking. We have done caving; rappelling; rock climbing; Scouting on the Mall; camporees; countless service projects such as First Night in Silver Spring, walkathons for the homeless, Adopt-a-Highway, and helping at the Shepherd’s Table. One high adventure took us to West Point Military Academy and to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Over the years, several Scouts and crews went to the Florida Sea Base in the Bahamas; Philmont Scout Reservation in Cimarron, NM; the Northern Tier (canoe base) in MN; a high adventure canoeing trip in Algonquin Park in Canada; Pine Creek Canyon (Grand Canyon of the East) in PA, Grand Tetons, and trips to Philadelphia and NYC.
In 2011, the Scouts and adults hiked a total of 3900 miles in preparation for the Philmont trip. Scout David Harris hiked 214 miles and Mr. Ed Varrone hiked 230 miles. Two crews of 12+/- went to Philmont.
In 2012, the Regional High Adventure for the younger Scouts went to The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania and packed, peddled, and paddled for a week. The National High Adventure went to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.
Other activities include monthly campouts, weekly Troop Meetings, service projects, aid to citizens and the community, annual program planning, model rockets and cars, bicycle rodeos, Merit Badge Day, Scout expositions, high adventures, summer camp, hosting the Webelos Weekend, Courts of Honor, skiing trips, winter camping, Klondike Derby, and fund raising projects such as car washes and The Pumpkin Patch, and the like. We camp most every month of the year as the schedule permits.
As of November 16, 2012 we have had 85 Scouts to earn the rank of Eagle Scout the first one being in 1934. Fifty-four dedicated people have had the title of Scoutmaster as a full time Scouting leadership position.
NOTE: Data for this history was researched from NCA Council and Troop files, newspaper articles, baptismal records of Woodside United Methodist Church, and by interviews of people associated with Troop 209 by Mr. & Mrs. Herbert J. Alleman. Districts from OA History in NCAC. Early on in Boy Scouting the church's minister was usually the Scoutmaster. Last update: January 2013.
