From the "Leaders Guide for 2008":
A little bit of Baden-Powell Scout Reservation, Camp Shands History…
The Baden-Powell Scout Reservation was purchased in the 1960's with a plan for it to be the
home for the new summer camp of the North Florida Council. The Council’s main summer
camp at that time, Camp Echockotee in Orange Park, had become surrounded by development
as the city grew. On a quiet night, Echockotee campers might even hear the sounds of traffic
and radios coming from nearby houses that had encroached on the once isolated camp. There
was also Camp Francis Johnson off of Blanding Boulevard (FL 21), but it too would soon suffer
the fate of surrounding development.
Legend says an old recluse owned the property around Lake Osborne (at one time called Gin
House Lake, and is known in the State as Lake Loyal) before the council bought it. The Sadler
Lodge (known as the Brownsea Lodge pre-1980's) had dings in the brickwork by the fireplace
that the old hermit put there with his shotgun. He was supposedly shooting at the ghosts of the
stuffed animals that decorated the lodge.
In 1965, two years before Camp Shands opened for summer camp, the Baden-Powell Scout
Reservation had its central lodge constructed (The Meninak Lodge). The building served as a
central meeting area with limited cooking facilities, storage, and the trading post. The building
was a gift from the Meninak Club of Jacksonville, Florida.
The early campers did not have a dining hall or tent platforms to ease their stay. The Taylor
Dining Hall was built in 1980-81 and platforms made their appearance about the same time.
Prior to the dining hall, campers ate in their sites, preparing their own meals with the help of
patrol kitchens that were checked out from the commissary. Young Scouts were often sent
back to the commissary for a "left handed smoke shifter" allegedly missing from the patrol
kitchen. (The equivalent of a "snipe hunt" quest for the unaware.) Of course resourceful
staffers in the commissary made up some "smoke shifters" and sent the young Scouts back to
camp to turn the tables on the pranksters.
From the establishment of the camp in the 1960’s through the 1970’s and 80’s the infrastructure
and facilities at the camp slowly grew.
In 1978 and 1983, the Echockotee Lodge of the Order of the Arrow built an obstacle course and
council rings for Section Conferences hosted at the camp. Additionally, the Order of the Arrow
was involved with building the rifle range, ecology building, handicraft building, the dining
hall and the waterfront shelter.
In the early 90’s, our Project C.O.P.E. program was established thanks to the efforts of our
volunteers, the Florida National Guard, and the Telephone Pioneers of America. To this day, it
is one of the best in the Southern Region.
The late 90’s witnessed a strong renewed interest in the future of our camp through the efforts
of the Council Executive Board. Years of heavy use and maintenance neglect had left us with a
camp that no one wanted to go to. After over $1.5 million spent on upgrades and renovations,
we once again have a camp to be proud of. Improvements include the Meninak Lodge, Ames
Lodge, and the Taylor Dining Hall. The Scoutcraft and Shooting Sports areas have been
revamped as well as construction in 2005 of the new Bathhouse at the waterfront, and in 2006
the Green Bar Pavilion.
Camp Shands is an attractive and appealing camp destination hosting a large number of
national, regional, and council training events. Our staff training is always a priority and the
camaraderie is second to none (to match our facilities). We look forward to a bright future for
the Baden Powell Scout Reservation.
We are expanding and recording more of the history of our camp. If you would like to
contribute, please put your knowledge of the history in writing and submit to our Camping
Department.
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