Camp Wilderness History Project & Online Trail
Use the PocketSights® App on your phone for a GPS guided tour of Camp Wilderness or on your computer for a virtual tour.
Developed and Supported by the Northern Lights Alumni Association
Use the links below to explore Camp Wilderness, the Councils, the Lodges, & other the Camps in our Council. We have just started in adding content and can use your help with editorial, content, and research. For more information
- History Construction Plans (original)
- History Center Plans & Goals
- Virtual Visit
- Our Collection (not yet available online)
- Contact the History Center
- Update/Correct the History Project or Trail
- Upload a Picture or Document
- How You can Help the History Project
- Info & what is needed
- Donations (monetary donations welcomed)
- To purchase this Patch & Support the History Trail (available at Camp TP)
- Annual Rummage Sale (proceeds help History Center)
- Learn more about the Northern Lights Alumni Association
- Scouting Heritage Merit Badge
- How to Add your Unit’s History & Stories
Map for Use the PocketSights® App on your phone for a GPS guided tour of Camp Wilderness or on your computer for a virtual tour.
- Black Building – A1
- Totem Pole – A2
- Baker Tree Plantation – A3
- Burke Trail System– A4
- Bomb Shed -B
- Cooking Grill – C
- Waterfront Steps – D
- Original Kitchen – E
- Pump Shed – F
- First Campfire Arena – G
- Toboggan Slide – H
- First Chapel – I
- Cabin A – J
- Boathouse – K
- Family/Scoutmaster Cabins – L
- Chuckwagon -M
- OA Gateway – N
- Matson / Lof Homestead – O1
- Pop Stone Tree Plantation – O2
- Water Tower – P
- Boardman Outpost – Q
- Camp Dump –
- Flothe Homestead –
- First Rifle Range –
- Horse Corral –
- OA Grounds –
- Preachers Grove (original & current) –
- Sawmill –
- Tree Plantations – by Boat House
- TimeLine for Camp Wilderness
- Before Camp
- The Beginning – Wilderness Camps
- Fifties
- Sixties
- Seventies
- Eighties
- Nineties
- Millennium
- Teens
- Twenties
- The Future
- Patches of Camp Wilderness
- Summer Camp
- Camp Activities
- Winter Camp
- Romp/Polar Cub
- Additional Events
- Summer Camp
- Hail to Thee by John DeWerd
- Coffee Table Book
- Camp Development Plans
- Camp in the News
- Camp Newsletters
- Camp Staff List / Staff Photos
- Additional Maps of Camp Wilderness
- Main Buildings
- Sleeping Quarters
- Main Camp Area
- Andrew Nelson Welcome Center –
- Astronomy Dome –
- Boathouse –
- Chaplain’s Gazebo –
- Family Cabins / Scoutmaster Cabins – Marker L
- Ham Radio Tower –
- Lookout Tower –
- Pump Shed – Marker F
- Rifle Range –
- Shotgun Shed –
- Telephone Building –
- Totem Pole – Marker A2
- Waterfront Steps – Marker D
- Butler Wilderness Outpost
- Historical
- Bomb Shed –
- Cabin N –
- Cabin O –
- Commissary –
- Cooking Grill – Marker C
- Guys & Gals –
- Original Kitchen – Marker E
- Water Tower – Marker P
- Main Camp Wilderness Area
- Bell Tower –
- Chapel – Virgil Reed Chapel in the Pines
- Flag Field –
- Lookout Tower –
- Pollinator Project –
- Tree Plantation/Dr. Baker – Marker A3
- Tree Plantations – Marker
- Tree Plantation/Pop Stone – Marker O
- Osprey Nest –
- Camp Wilderness Program Areas
- Activity Field –
- Archery Range –
- Climbing Tower (new) –
- Climbing Tower (old) –
- Dirt Park (ATV’s)
- Disc Golf Course
- Fishing Area and Piers –
- Nature Area –
- OA Gateway – Marker N
- OA Grounds – Marker
- OA Quill Hill –
- Project COPE –
- Rife Range –
- ScoutCraft Program Area –
- Shotgun Area –
- Sledding Hill –
- Sparrowhawk Campfire Arena –
- Trail Blazers –
- Waterfront –
- Camp Wilderness Campsites
- South Side
- North Side
- West Side
- East Side
- Commissioner Program
- Outpost Programs
- Boardman Outpost – Marker Q
- Coonskin Outpost –
- Lily Lake Outpost –
- Mantrap Outpost Site –
- Preachers Grove (original & current) – Marker
- Butler Wilderness Outpost –
- Campsites
- Program Areas
- Historical
- Campfire Arena (old main) –
- Campfire Area First – Marker G
- Camp Dump –
- Chapel/First – Marker I
- Chuckwagon – Marker M
- HandiCrafts
- Homestead/Flothe – Marker
- Homestead/Matson / Lof – Marker O
- Horse Corral – Marker
- Nature Areas (Old) –
- Rifle Range (First) – Marker
- Sawmill – Marker
- Skeet Shooting Range –
- Toboggan Slide – Marker H
– 
Camp Staff List / Staff Photos
- Unknown Legends – Help us identify these individuals
- Edgar Olson – Wrote the Camp’s Alma Mater
- Herman Stern – Founding Father of Camp Wilderness
- George Edwin Black– Black Building Namesake
- George Boardman – Early Council Executive
- John Lien – First Camp Cook
- John Lindblom – Camp Surveyor
- Neville Pearson – Photographed Camps First Years
- Dr. Norman Baker – Founding Father of Camp Wilderness
- Steve Werpy – Long Time Camp Staffer
- Virgil Reed – First Camp Director
Friends of Camp Wilderness – eventually became the Alumni Association
- Additional Activities to do at camp
- Additional Maps of Camp Wilderness
- Camp Critters
- Camp Development Plans
- Camp in the News
- Camp Newsletters
- Campmaster Program
- Camp Staff List / Staff Photos
- Camp Wilderness Timeline
- Legend and Tall Tales of Camp Wilderness
- Non Scouting Events at Camp Wilderness
- Past Programs
- NYLT at Camp Wilderness
- Wood Badge at Camp Wilderness
What Local Landmarks do you remember?
- Township/County
- Resorts/Ski Lodges/Clubs
- Restaurants/Cafes/Laundromats
- Tourist Sites & Local Interest
- Family Cabins
- Northern Lights Council
- Districts of NLC
- Scouts & Scouters – Doing Great Deeds
- Buildings & Monuments Dedicated to Scouting
- Great Plains Area Council – HQ/Minot, ND
- Minot Council
- Minot District Council
- Lake Agassiz Council – HQ/Grand Forks, ND
- Grand Forks Council
- Grand Forks County Council
- Greater Grand Forks Area Council
- Grand Forks Area Council
- Devils Lake Council
- Lake Region Area Council
- Missouri Valley Council – HQ/Bismarck, ND
- Bismarck Area Council
- Williston Council
- Red River Valley Council – HQ/Fargo, ND
- Fargo Council
- Park Region Council – HQ/ Fergus Falls, MN
/ Additional Camps (past & present)
Northern Lights Council- Tom Brantner Memorial Camp – Glyndon, MN
- Big 4 Scout Camp – Minot, ND
- Heart Butte Scout Reservation – Lake Tschida, ND
- Camp Wilderness (see above sections) – Park Rapids, MN
- Missouri Valley Council
- Heart Butte Scout Reservation – Lake Tschida, ND
- Camp Chatoka, Williston, ND
- Camp Chan Owapi – Wildwood Lake, ND
- Chevron Boy Scout Camp – Killdeer, ND
- Missouri Valley Council Camps – Unknown
- Great Plains Area Council
- Metigoshe Scout Reservation – Lake Metigoshe, ND
- Camp Spanish Point, Lake Sakakawea, ND
- Big 4 Scout Camp – Minot, ND
- Boy Scout Camp, Rice Lake, ND
- Great Plains Council Camps – Unknown
- Great Plains Area Boy Scout Camps – Unknown
- Williston Council Camps – Unknown
- Metigoshe Scout Reservation – Lake Metigoshe, ND
- Red River Valley Council
- Camp Shawondasee – Long Lake, MN
- Camp Rokiwan – Spirtwood Lake, ND
- Camp Wakpalla – – Grand Rapids, ND
- Camp Harding – Unknown
- Camp Runestone – Near Alexandria, MN
- Wilderness Camp (see above sections) – Park Rapids, MN
- Park Region Council
- Camp White Eagle, Eagle Lake, MN
- Lake Agassiz Council
- Camp Kiwanis – Wood Lake, ND
- Camp Chandawag / Oak Island – Lake of the Woods, MN
- Camp Wabaunaquat – White Earth Lake, MN
- Lake Agassiz Council Camps – Unknown
- Camp Rotary – Unknown
- Camp Hi – Adventure Unknown
- Possible Additional Camps
Camp Wilderness History Center
The Northern Lights Alumni Association has established the actual trail and the digital trail below with the hopes for a deeper understanding of the heritage and legacy of Camp Wilderness.
Our focus is telling the story of the Northern Lights Council and the camps within—not only by honoring all we have today, but also by remembering where we came from. Our present-day council is the result of the evolution of four councils, four lodges, and many camps.
The Northern Lights History Center’s collections are comprised of various artifacts donated by friends of Scouting. We rely on these donations from people like you to preserve and display the history of the council and its camps. Help us uphold the story of the Northern Lights Council by donating items or by joining the History Committee.
What we need and our areas of focus -
| Our Needs | Camps | Councils/Lodges |
|---|---|---|
Information (when, why, who, how, etc…) | Camp Wilderness | Missouri Valley Council |
| Photos/Videos | Camp Wabaunaquat | Great Plains Area Council |
| Memorabilia | Metigoshe Scout Reservation | Lake Agassiz Council |
| Patches | Heart Butte Scout Reservation | Red River Valley Council |
| Newspaper Clippings | Camp Shawondasse | Chatoka Lodge |
| Guide Books | Big 4 Scout Camp | Thunderbird Lodge |
| Stories & Anecdotes | Camp Spanish Point | Chan-o-wapi Lodge |
Working at the History Center | Camp Kiwanis/ Wood Lake | Minniduta Lodge |
| Helping with Research | Camp Chandawag/ Oak Island | Pa-Hin Lodge |
Cataloging and storing items | Camp Chatoka | Northern Lights Council |
| Building Displays | What did we miss? | Park Region Council |
Gifts to the Northern Lights Council for the History Center are deductible from taxable income in accordance with the provisions of Federal income tax law. However, the History Committee or Council employees cannot, in their official capacity, give appraisals for the purpose of establishing the tax deductible value of donated items. Evaluations must be secured by the donor at his/her expense. The donor receives no goods or services in consideration of this gift.
Contact the History Committee for more information on how you can help
email Bob Rezac or 701-261-7597
email Chad Swenson or 701-388-2494
