Hello Forest County Residents!
This week I came across a photograph from the Forest County Historical Society of young girls sitting around a campfire and I wondered if it was one of the early Girl Scout troops in the area. I was not too far off. It was a photo of the Campfire Girls at Trump Lake Lodge in Wabeno from the year 1939. The Campfire Girls began as an organization in 1910 and claims to be ” America’s first national organization for girls of every nationality, race, creed and economic status that came into being. The Fire symbolized the home, the place of comfort and cheer. Camp symbolized the out-of-doors spirit of the organization” (www.campfireinc.org). The organization was founded by Dr. and Mrs. Luther Halsey Gulick, who specialized in the fields of child health, recreation and education. They relied heavily on what they believed to be Native American themed activities and dress. The Campfire Girls still exists as an organization but was changed to “Campfire” to be more inclusive (www.campfireinc.org).
Does anyone have any stories about being a member of the Campfire girls? How long were they an organization in Forest County?
