National Scouting Center
The search for a new BSA landmark
For nearly 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America has served the country’s youth with programs that promote character development and principled living. Some of the most exciting and fulfilling experiences a Scout can have are attending one of the BSA’s three national high-adventure bases or participating in the national Scout jamboree, the BSA’s iconic event. These experiences reflect the skills and values of Scouting: appreciation for the outdoors, physical fitness, environmental conservation, and understanding of our national heritage.
Eighteen months ago, the BSA embarked on an intensive search for the location that would become the permanent home of the jamboree. Since its inception in 1937, the jamboree has been held in Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania; California; Colorado; Idaho; and since 1981, Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. For each event, the BSA has gladly invested millions of dollars in land it does not own in order to provide Scouts and jamboree attendees an experience that brings to life the organization’s cherished principles. Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense has increased its use of Fort A.P. Hill for extensive military training. That, coupled with the BSA’s desire to invest in a permanent infrastructure, sparked the search for a new, long-term jamboree home.
As an outgrowth of the selection process, the vision of the National Scouting Center emerged in the settings of Virginia and West Virginia. The center would comprise three major areas of focus: the permanent home for the national Scout jamboree, a new national high-adventure base, and expanded opportunities for national leadership and outdoor skills training.