The "Blue" Troop
Founded in 1916, as one of three original Boy Scout troops in Wallingford soon after the introduction of scouting into America from Britain, Boy Scout Troop 5 now has well over one hundred years of continuous activity under the sponsorship of the First Congregational Church. As a youth activity in the church, the Boy Scout troop was a natural outgrowth of an established boys group called the "Knights of the Round Table". This organization that predated the Scouts by several years was quite similar in structure and activity.
The Scout Committee of 1916 consisted of C.C. Riggs, F.M. Cowles, and W.H. Edsall. G. Floyd Morgan was the first Scoutmaster and was assisted by G.G. Graig and F. Williams. The troop had twenty-eight registered members that first year. The years that followed show membership of eleven to fifty-six boys of all faiths and backgrounds. Twenty-two different Committee Chairmen, twenty-five different Scoutmasters, and numerous other adult volunteers have served these boys.
Up until Troop 5 petitioned for a change in 1960, the troop had two numbers; #5 local, and #24 national. Troop 5 was part of the Meriden Council which later became the Central Connecticut Council. Central consisted of the Scouts of Meriden, Wallingford, and Southington. In 1978, following a council merge, the Wallingford strips on the uniforms were removed and replaced with the Quinnipiac Council patch. The end of the 1990's saw another council merge between the Quinnipiac and Fairfield County councils, forming the present Connecticut Yankee Council of which the troop is part of the Sleeping Giant District.
Summer camp has been, and remains an important part of Troop 5’s program. The memories and friendships of camp can last a lifetime. Camp Terramugus in East Hampton was an early destination. In the mid 1960's, the Scouts and Scouters of the council raised funds to purchase a farm in Killingworth which became Deer Lake Scout Reservation. Troop 5 scouts attended week-long summer camp there. Some of these former scouts now camp at Deer Lake with their sons on weekend troop outings. After the second council merger, Camp Sequassen in Winsted, CT, became the councils’ summer camp facility. Most recently, the trip to camp has ended at Camp Yawgoog in Rockville, R.I. It was here, the first year with the troop’s new blue caps and neckerchiefs on the parade field, that the nickname “the Blue troop” was coined by some fellow campers.
The outdoor program continues as a huge part of troop activities. Backpacking, winter camping, skiing, historical trips, hiking, biking, and canoeing are some of the skills constantly being practiced by the scouts. The troop maintains an inventory of quality outdoor equipment including an array of specialized lightweight backpacking gear, 7 canoes with trailer (all blue, of course) and most recently 3 solo kayaks have been added.
The scouts of Troop 5 continue to be some of the best in the business. Adult involvement remains strong with a range from long time scouters to new parents. This provides the troop both continuity and a dynamic program. In 1991 the John Holloway Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to help the scouts of Troop 5 with continuing education after high school. The troop operates a traveler’s safety Coffee-break at the I-91 southbound rest area during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Four-day outings with historical destinations still occur during spring vacation. Ski trips and Block Island appear on the schedule as they have for countless years. Regular canoes outings have come back to the schedules and council camporees always bring surprises and fun. Most recently the troop spent 8 days in the lakes of the St. Reigs Wilderness Canoe Area in the Adirondack mountains in northern New York. Preparation included many shorter canoe trips including paddling 8 miles of the Housatonic River to Lake Zoar.
Troop 5 continues the tradition of creating the memories for tomorrow by providing challenging experiences for the youth of today.
BSA Troop 5, “Building Character since 1916”
The Scout Committee of 1916 consisted of C.C. Riggs, F.M. Cowles, and W.H. Edsall. G. Floyd Morgan was the first Scoutmaster and was assisted by G.G. Graig and F. Williams. The troop had twenty-eight registered members that first year. The years that followed show membership of eleven to fifty-six boys of all faiths and backgrounds. Twenty-two different Committee Chairmen, twenty-five different Scoutmasters, and numerous other adult volunteers have served these boys.
Up until Troop 5 petitioned for a change in 1960, the troop had two numbers; #5 local, and #24 national. Troop 5 was part of the Meriden Council which later became the Central Connecticut Council. Central consisted of the Scouts of Meriden, Wallingford, and Southington. In 1978, following a council merge, the Wallingford strips on the uniforms were removed and replaced with the Quinnipiac Council patch. The end of the 1990's saw another council merge between the Quinnipiac and Fairfield County councils, forming the present Connecticut Yankee Council of which the troop is part of the Sleeping Giant District.
Summer camp has been, and remains an important part of Troop 5’s program. The memories and friendships of camp can last a lifetime. Camp Terramugus in East Hampton was an early destination. In the mid 1960's, the Scouts and Scouters of the council raised funds to purchase a farm in Killingworth which became Deer Lake Scout Reservation. Troop 5 scouts attended week-long summer camp there. Some of these former scouts now camp at Deer Lake with their sons on weekend troop outings. After the second council merger, Camp Sequassen in Winsted, CT, became the councils’ summer camp facility. Most recently, the trip to camp has ended at Camp Yawgoog in Rockville, R.I. It was here, the first year with the troop’s new blue caps and neckerchiefs on the parade field, that the nickname “the Blue troop” was coined by some fellow campers.
The outdoor program continues as a huge part of troop activities. Backpacking, winter camping, skiing, historical trips, hiking, biking, and canoeing are some of the skills constantly being practiced by the scouts. The troop maintains an inventory of quality outdoor equipment including an array of specialized lightweight backpacking gear, 7 canoes with trailer (all blue, of course) and most recently 3 solo kayaks have been added.
The scouts of Troop 5 continue to be some of the best in the business. Adult involvement remains strong with a range from long time scouters to new parents. This provides the troop both continuity and a dynamic program. In 1991 the John Holloway Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to help the scouts of Troop 5 with continuing education after high school. The troop operates a traveler’s safety Coffee-break at the I-91 southbound rest area during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Four-day outings with historical destinations still occur during spring vacation. Ski trips and Block Island appear on the schedule as they have for countless years. Regular canoes outings have come back to the schedules and council camporees always bring surprises and fun. Most recently the troop spent 8 days in the lakes of the St. Reigs Wilderness Canoe Area in the Adirondack mountains in northern New York. Preparation included many shorter canoe trips including paddling 8 miles of the Housatonic River to Lake Zoar.
Troop 5 continues the tradition of creating the memories for tomorrow by providing challenging experiences for the youth of today.
BSA Troop 5, “Building Character since 1916”