The Last Frontier Council’s Troop 1 of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), is one of the oldest continuously-chartered troop in our area. The Edmond-based Troop has a long and colorful history.
Troop One was originally formed by James E. Pershing, pastor of the Harrison Ave. Congregational Church in Oklahoma City. He was a cousin of Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing. But, more importantly he started one of the very first Boy Scout Troops, using the English Handbook. The first Scout meetings were conducted as early as the fall of 1909. In 1913 Pershing applied for a charter from London, England, because the Boy Scouts of America was not officially chartered by the U.S. Congress until 1916.
The original charter is dated Oct. 6, 1913, and the Troop has been continuously registered since then, continuing throughout both World Wars when many other troops temporarily disbanded. The first flag dates to 1917 when the Central Oklahoma Boy Scout Council was organized (it was later renamed the Last Frontier Council). Pershing served as the first Scoutmaster for Troop 1, and resigned from the church to serve as the first executive officer for the Council. He was reported very successful particularly with summer camps. His death in 1921 was generally lamented by the Scouts.
Over one hundred years ago, Troop 1 began meeting in a spare room in back of a dental office at 13th and Kelly in Oklahoma City, and also held weekly meetings at the Oklahoma State Capital for a time. The charter was then moved to Grace Methodist Church, and then to Christ Methodist Church.
In 1967, the Troop was relocated to Edmond at the Mennonite Church at 33 E. 33, where it remained for 27 years until the Church property was sold. The Troop then moved to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in 1994.