Here is the history of Boy Scout Troop 21, Wauwatosa, WI.

In 1910 - Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on February 8 under the laws of the District of Columbia.

1911 - The Boy Scout advancement program started with only 57 merit badges.  Today only 28 of the original 57 merit badges remain.

1916 - The United States Congress granted Boy Scouts of America a federal charter giving special protection to the name and insignia and limiting membership to American Citizens. 

1922 - Under the sponsorship of the Wauwatosa Methodist Church, Men's Club, a Boy Scouts of America Charter was granted to Boy Scout Troop 21.  Mr. Al Johnson was recruited as the first Scoutmaster.  15 Scouts were listed as founding members.  A Troop flag was purchased and is in the Troop archives yet today.

1923 - The international left handclasp was adopted by Boy Scouts of America

1924 - A Boy Scouts of America National program was started to teach all Scouts how to swim.

1926 - The second Scoutmaster of Troop 21 was Mr. Cleon Balch.  His son Jim was also a Troop 21 member.  One of our Scouting families accidentally discovered that Scoutmaster Balch and son Jim was a distant relative of their's. Scouts Mike and Ryan Bates, plus their father Assistant Scoutmaster Steve Bates, joined Troop 21 without ever knowing that a distant member of their family was one of the original founders of the Troop they now belong to.

1927 - Additional merit badges were added bring the total to 89.

1929 - Young Charles Narwold joined Boy Scout Troop 15 in Dubuque, Iowa, shortly after his 12th birthday.  Mr. Narwold later moved and joined our Troop 21 as an adult.  Today he remains a very important and active Troop 21 leader.

In 1930 - The Cub Scout program was formally approved.

1932 - 10 years after chartering, Troop 21 had 10 registered adults and 35 registered Scouts.  The Senior Patrol Leader was George Sirotkin.  In 1932 the Troop was known for its skill with archery.  Troop 21 met at the community building on the south-east corner of Church St. and Milwaukee Avenue. The Troop frequently camped at Camp IMR and at City Park, today known as Hart Park.  Scouts slept with blankets as few had sleeping bags in that day.  In cold weather they often used straw as additional insulation.

1934 - The National Order of the Arrow program was approved for all Troops.  Current records indicate Troop 21 awarded its first Eagle Scout Award to Donald Spring.  However, Troop members from the 1930's believe there may be Eagle Awards presented earlier by Troop 21.  If so the records have not have survived these many years.  We still consider Mr. Spring our first Eagle Scout.

1935 - The Silver Jubilee, 25th anniversary, of Boy Scouts of America was celebrated.  However, in this same year the first National Scout Jamboree was canceled due to a national epidemic of infantile paralysis, most often known as polio.

1936 - Scout Charles Narwold completed his Eagle rank at Troop 119 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

1937 - The first Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree was held in Washington, D.C.

1938 - Mr. Waite Phillips made a gift to the Boy Scouts of America of a campsite near Cimarron, New Mexico, known as Philturn Rocky Mountain Scoutcamp.  This later was renamed Philmount Scout Ranch.

1939 - Charles Narwold arrived in Wauwatosa and joined Troop 21 as a leader.  Mr. Narwold's father relocated the family to the Milwaukee area due to a job transfer.

1941 - War was declared.  Boy Scouts across America and Troop 21 Scouts distributed defense bonds and stamp posters, collected scrap metal and paper, planted victory gardens, and assisted the American Red Cross.  This war service continued for the duration of World War II.

1943 - Long pants and a cap were made part of the official uniform.  Prior to that Scouts wore breeches and long socks.  Troop 21 often camped in a valley behind the property of Dr. Hide, next to a small river. Today this valley has been filled in and Mayfair Shopping Center has been built in its place.  Troop 21 also camped at Camp Journal which at that time was at 115th Street and Watertown Plank Road.

1946 - After the war ended Troop 21 members received some of the vast quantity of surplus military equipment.  Air Force sleeping bags, mountaineer tents and army skis were put to use by our Scouts.

1947 - The basic Boy Scout requirements were re-authorized putting an equal emphasis on Scout spirit, Scout participation and Scoutcraft skills.  Troop 21 often took bike trips and camped in farmers fields along the way.

1949 - The age requirement to join Boy Scouts was lowered from 12 to age 11.

1950 - The first Boy Scout stamp was issued by the U.S. Post Office.  The second National Jamboree was held at Valley Forge, PA.  Troop 21 frequently camped at Mauthe Lake, in the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest.

1953 - Troop 21 Scouts participated in the third National Jamboree at Irvine Ranch, Calif.

1954 - Webelos Scouts were created as part of the Cub Scout program.  The intent was to provide a bridge for crossing over to Boy Scouting

1955 - Troop 21 had 19 registered adults and 24 registered Scouts.

1957 - The 15-millionth copy of the Boy Scout, Handbook for Boys was printed and presented to the President of the United States.  The fourth National Jamboree was held at Valley Forge, PA.

1960 - Scouting's Golden Jubilee Year, or 50th anniversary, was celebrated. The fifth National Jamboree was held at Colorado Springs, Colo.

1962 - Troop 21 celebrated it's 40th Anniversary.  Newspaper articles indicate that 200 guests attended the dinner and Court of Honor.  9 of the first 17 Scoutmasters of Troop 21 were present for the event.

1964 - The sixth National Jamboree was held at Valley Forge, PA. 

1967 - Boy Scouts of America hosted the 12th World Scouting Jamboree.  The Lion rank in Cub Scouting was eliminated.  Jeff Molter joined Troop 21 and later completed his Eagle rank.  Subsequently, Mr. Molter has been Scoutmaster on two occasions and today remains active as an Assistant Scoutmaster. 

1969 - The seventh National Jamboree was held in Farragut State Park, Idaho and Troop 21 Scouts participated.  Mr. Rex Draheim, owner of Maplewood Farms in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin; had heart surgery performed by a Dr. John Houston.  Dr. Houston was also an Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 21.  Subsequent to his surgery Mr. Draheim and Dr. Houston became friends and Troop 21 was invited to camp on the Draheim farmland.  We have been camping there since 1969.  Also in 1969, Troop 21 went to summer camp at the Jag Lake Campground for the first time.  Previously, the Troop had been spending summer camps in the Lac du Flambeau area but changed locations due to safety concerns.  The Troop has spent summer camp at Jag Lake every year since 1969, and hopefully will continue to do so for many years to come.

1970 - Troop 21 visited Washington, D.C.  The Troop raised the needed funds to pay for the trip by conducting scrap paper drives.  Troop members stayed in the fellowship hall of a Methodist Church that was only 7 blocks from the capitol.

1971 - Troop 21 had 17 registered adults and 65 registered Scouts.

1972 - The National Eagle Scout Association was launched.  Troop 21 celebrated it's 50th Golden Anniversary with two days of events.  On Saturday, May 20, 1972; displays and demonstrations were presented before a dinner of "Good Ol Hunters Stew."  The evening program included a Court of Honor, a special Eagle Court of Honor and guest speaker Mr. James Neidhoefer, Chairman of Region 7 of the Boy Scouts of America.  The Troop Charter was presented in a special ceremony on Sunday, May 21 by Chairman Neidhoefer.  In the first 50 years Troop 21 presented 51 Eagle Awards.  That summer Troop 21 visited Washington, D.C. for the second time.

1973 - Troop 21 again participated in the 8th National Jamboree held at Farragut State Park, Idaho. 

1977 - The 9th National Jamboree was held in Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania.  Troop 21 again participated.

1980 - A new Boy Scout uniform was introduced.  The uniform shirt had previously been olive green and changed to the tan color used today.  The new uniform was designed by famous clothing designer Oscar de la Renta.   Troop 21 had 29 registered adults and 56 registered Scouts.  A Swedish Scout Troop was visiting the Milwaukee area when their only adult leader became very ill.  Troop 21 helped their situation by taking the Swedish Scouts to summer camp at Jag Lake while their leader recovered.

1981 - The 10th National Jamboree was held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.  7 of our Scouts and 2 adult leaders participated.

1982 - Tiger Cubs for 7 year old boys was introduced using the motto Search, Discover, Share.  Troop 21 Scouts and leaders took a two and a half-week trip to Sweden and Norway to visit friends made during the 1980 summer camp.  Troop 21 had previously hosted these Swedish Scout visitors and, in turn, were invited to visit their country.  Scouts stayed with the families of the 1980 summer camp visitors.  The Troop paid for their expenses by conducting scrap paper drives.

1985 - Boy Scouts of America celebrated its 75th anniversary.  The 11th National Jamboree was again held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.

1986 - Boys Life Magazine became one of the 50th largest magazines in the nation.  Boy Scouts of America was touched by the tragic Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.  Two crew members were Boy Scouts. 

1987 - The 16th World Scouting Jamboree was held in Australia. 3,000 members from the Boy Scouts of America attended, including one representative from Troop 21.

1988 - Scouting for Food was started and was the largest national Good Turn performed since World War II.  The Webelos program was converted into a two-year program for 4th and 5th grade boys.

1989 - The 12th National Jamboree was again held at Fort A.P Hill, Virginia.

1990 - In it's third year, the Boy Scouts of America's Scouting for Food National Good Turn program continued to "flood" the nations food banks with much needed supplies.  The 10th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook was introduced.  Troop 21 had 17 registered adults and 18 registered Scouts.

1991 - The Boy Scouts of America's Scouting for Food National Good Turn program became the largest food collection program in the nation.

1993 - Troop 21 had 36 registered Scouts and 21 adult leaders.  Troop 21 Scouts participated in the 13th National Jamboree, at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. 

1994 - Recruitment efforts were more than successful and a year later Troop 21 suddenly had 59 registered Scouts and 23 adult leaders.

1997 - Troop 21 Scouts again attended another National Jamboree.  It was the 14th National Jamboree and again held at Fort A.P. Hill, just outside Washington, D.C.  Today, Troop 21 celebrates it's 75th anniversary as the second oldest but largest Troop in the Milwaukee County Council.

1998 - Troop 21 attended summer camp at the Jag Lake campground for the 30th consecutive year.

1999 - Troop 21 had 94 Scouts registered and presented it's 100^th Eagle Scout Award to Aaron Hamill.

2001 - 27 Troop 21 Scouts plus one adult leader attended the 2001 BSA National Jamboree.

2002 - Scoutmaster Steve Weber was presented with the Silver Beaver award.

2003 - Troop 21 awarded the 115^th Eagle Scout rank to Brian Johnson on October 23, 2003.

2004 – With a large Webelos influx Troop 21 membership rose to 101 Scouts.  81 Scouts attended summer camp at Jag Lake campground.  Troop 21 Scouts have attended summer camp at Jag Lake for 35 consecutive years.

2005 – 34 Troop 21 Scouts attended the 2005 BSA National Jamboree.  Assistant Scoutmaster Jeff Molter was presented with the Silver Beaver award.

2006 – Troop 21 continued with over 100 Scouts for the third year.  Membership restrictions put into place in 2005 prevented further growth, but did not result in the goal of shrinking the size of the Troop.