A History of Camp Perry – of Rio Grande Council of Boy Scouts of America
- - 
- - 
- - - - other update April 2022 - by far NOT up do date
The original shorter version of Camp Perry Texas history got lost
when changing the outfit serving the website and it went from a .org to a .com
what you see here is a trimmed down version of the long version.
If the original short version is found it will replace this version of Camp Perry, Texas, history.
Camp Charles F. Perry is the oldest continuously used Boy Scout Camp in Texas. It began being a Scout Camp in 1927, after Charles F. Perry, of Harlingen, Texas donated the first parcel of land for a Scout Camp. While Circle 10 Council in the Dallas area had a camp as early as 1923 its use was not continuous.
On July 31, 1926 Anthony Gerber conveyed Lots 6 & 7 of Block 7 San Dominic Subdivision to Aaron W. Cunningham.
On August 31, 1926 Arron W. Cunningham deeded Lots 6 & 7 of Block 7 San Dominic Subdivision to Charles F. Perry.
On March 27, 1928 Charles F. Perry conveyed Lots 6 & 7 of Block 7 San Dominic Subdivision to the Boy Scouts of the Rio Grande Valley in trust with the trustees being the County Judges of Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr Counties.
On June 3, 1935 a court case between Pilar Villarreas vs. A.A. Browne et. al. Awarded the North 10 acres of Lots 6 & 7 San Dominic Subdivision (designated as Tract 256) to the 4 County Judges in trust to the Boy Scouts of the Rio Grande Valley.
On August 22, 1934 9000 sq. ft. (180 ft x 50 ft rectangle fronting the Arroyo Colorado) was deeded to the Mayor and City of Harlingen as trustees for use of Harlingen Boy Scouts.
----
On November 22, 1949 the City of Harlingen trustees conveyed rights to dig/cutaway from the 9000 sq ft tract to the Arroyo Colorado Navigation District. ( which was creating the Harlingen Barge Canal to connect with the Intercoastal Waterway.)
On January 25, 1983 these trustees conveyed the land to the Rio Grande Council.
In general during the early years there was no good mechanism for the Scouting movement in the Rio Grande Valley to own land. The corporate structure of BSA Rio Grande Valley was not deemed mature enough, so some of the land was put into a trust with the trustees being the County Judges of Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr Counties. Other parcels of what was to be Camp Perry was held by a trusteeship embodied by a number of wealthy, powerful and trustworthy men ... Cleve Tandy, W.W. Housewright, Shelly H. Collier, Lugher Hughes and Lloyd Bentsen.
This ownership scheme continued up until 1983, when the Council asked each County Judge to cede his interest to the Rio Grande Council of BSA. Each did, with proper action from the Commissioners Courts of each County, and title(s) were conferred to the Council.
On March 14, 1983 the 4 county judges (of Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr Counties) conveyed their trusteeship of the parts of Camp Perry which they held to Rio Grande Council Inc., Boy Scouts of America. Camp Perry was finally actually owned by Rio Grande Council.
Bill Hubbard was the person who went to each County Judge, and met with each County Commissioners Court to get the resolution needed for this transfer. The first approached was Cameron County because Bill personally knew that County Judge and was fairly sure of a positive result from the request.
In all Camp Perry is composed of some 260 acres along the West bank of the Arroyo Colorado.
The above information comes from official land records.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The first camp was conducted before the title to the land was transferred. In the Summer of 1927 there were 151 Scouts and 16 Leaders camping at Camp Perry. Summer camp 1928 had 298 Scouts and 33 Leaders.
The Council was visited by E.E. Voss Regional Scout Executive from the 9th District of BSA. One of his strong recommendations was that development at the Camp cease until the outstanding debt of $3600. would be retired. Judging from the tone of the letter sent to Charles Perry on August 2, 1929, one can infer that a considerable amount of “development†(building) had taken place very early on in the history of the Camp, and that Charles Perry was not totally happy with the progress.
The Bowl, (small amphitheater) was built by R.W. Liston of the W.T. Liston Co. and was one of the first things built at the Camp and existed for the 1929 camp photo. The eagles at the top of each wing of the amphitheater disappeared during Hurricane Beulah in 1967.
Robert L. Lyon was Camp Director – August 29, 1930. The Rio Grande Council 4th Annual Report noted that 154 boys and 51 men attended Camp Perry. It also noted that the Arroyo was not fit for swimming. Swimming was done at the Midway Pool near Harlingen. It was noted that there were fewer Summer Campers in 1930 than there had been in 1929. Camp Perry was inspected by National Officials (BSA?) and the camp was “highly complemented.†During this summer requirements for 122 Second Class tests were done, 80 First Class tests and 86 Merit Badge tests were met by the Scouts attending. Three Eagle Badges were awarded at the Camp Court of Honor.
A photo of Camp Perry published in December 29, 1930 and taken from the East side of Arroyo Colorado shows the development of the Camp including the Lodge in its original 2 story condition as well as the 2 story Harlingen Lodge, “the Bowl†amphitheater, the Dining Hall and a water tower.
CPer1930t.jpg
Summer Camp 1931 served 162 boys and 26 leaders and was active from August 3 through August 15. The Troops camped in individual campsites, along the Arroyo bank, under their own leaders. These leaders were largely responsible for their own programs. Previous to 1931 the Council rented tents for about $250. per year. In early 1931 the plan was to purchase 20 Khaki waterproof and mildew proof tents for $525 and have them available for use all year.
During some of the early years swimming was done in a pool in the Girl Scout Camp in Rio Hondo. That pool was where the Rio Hondo Public Library is currently located.
Camp Perry Rangers
James E. Nolan was “custodian of Camp Perry.†He arrived in Rio Hondo in 1934 and was prominent in Boy Scout activities for 14 years. He died Oct. 9, 1952 (information from his Obituary) During the early years there were times when there was no resident Camp Ranger. Ted Luten was Camp Ranger from as early as 1948 until 1956 Buddy Johnson was Camp Ranger – 1956 - 1983 Pete Langan was Camp Ranger – December 1983 to 2010. As of 2010 the Camp Ranger was Jose Dacasa. He stayed as ranger for a few years, then left to become a professional diver.
There was a time when there was no Ranger, then one was hired, and in 2022 the then ranger retired and another took his place.
The Trading Post, Kitchen and Dining Hall were rebuilt in 1954.
The Camp Ranger's home was completed in 1956. (Room added ? With Robert Whalen's assistance.)
The Swimming Pools (older pools located near the Arroyo) were remodeled and completed in 1958.
They were built in the early 1950's.
Kesley-Carr provided the rifle range in 1950. It survived the great hurricane
1951-1956 Rayburn McNally was on staff at Camp Perry.
The campsites were numbered 1-12. They were smaller than the current campsites.
Each campsite had a small shelter consisting of concrete slab about 10 ft. x 12 ft. with pillars at each corner and a concrete top. There were slits down the middle to allow smoke to clear. These were made by, or with money from, the Lions Clubs of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Scout Executive James Goldstein was of the opinion that these made living too soft at camp and that camp should be of a more rustic nature. He had these shelters removed. Sledge hammers, and perhaps a small bulldozer were used to demolish them. Their destruction dismayed the Lions Clubs, as the various clubs had created these shelters and each had a dedicatory plaque on it declaring the name of the club which was responsible for that individual shelter.
There were 5 screened enclosures with barbecue pits and tables. These were called the “Cook Sheds†They were available at every other campsite (ie. pairs of Campsites shared access to the Cook Sheds.)
At first there were only campsites on the north sided (north of the Ranger's house). The campsites on the south side were built in the 1960's.
When the Camp Director's Cabin was being refurbished some time in the early 1980's, it was discovered that it was made of old ammunition crates. Markings on the wood indicated that it had once held 105mm howitzer shells. During the early years of the Harlingen military installation, when it was an Army/Air corps base it was an artillery training center.
There was a large “tin†(corrugated iron) building which was located between where the existing Adult Showers were (removedn in 2021 to make room for the new Dining Hall) and the Office building.
The Mudflats are located on the north and south sides of camp, on the west side, up against FM 1420. They are the areas where dredge spoil was deposited when the Arroyo Colorado was dredged to make it into the Harlingen Barge Canal. As the spoil is viscous and skins over on the top, leaving pudding-like mud underneath. An unsuspecting person walking over the top could break through and possibly get fatally stuck. For this reason these 2 areas are strictly off limits to all. When the dredging was active in 1953 and at other times later the stench of the dredged up spoil was awful.
The Order of the Arrow area was improved by a Scoutmaster named Al Francine.
They built an iron building with concrete foundation. Smudge pots were set out and connected with tubes from butane tanks in the building. Igniters were set into the smudge pots and the butane could be controlled from the building and the flames could be lighted, dimmed or flared from that remote location, making for impressive ceremonies. There was a high mosaic wall with a Whitewing dove on it, the totem of Wewanoma Lodge. The building was torn down at the behest of a later Scout Executive who maintained that it was out of character with the Amerind roots of OA. Brick outline tipis were made of the remains. (see the middle of the aerial photo circa 1955) The next Scout Executive found fault with that and had that taken down. Often the "take down†took a lot of work with sledge hammers.
The Order of the Arrow was very active in the 1950's. Work groups of over 200 boys were available and used to accomplish some of the major building (and perhaps un-building) tasks.
Fred Abbott welded the very tall flagpole on the parade ground. This was erected in the 1960's. It was set up by a CP&L pole truck. The dedicatory plaque says “In Memory of Henry Hemingway Advisor Post 7.†This flagpole was blown down during Hurricane Dolly in 2008. It was measured on the ground after it blew down. From the flange on the bottom to the top of the ball at the top it was 66 feet 2 inches tall. A very robust replacement flagpole, complete with an eagle on top was installed in 2010. The bell which had hung under a tree just south of the flabpole was re-hung in a 3 dimensional fleur-de-lis near the flagpole. A pentigonal dedicatory brick pavement around the bell structure was built in 2011.
Hurricane Beulah in 1967 did a lot of damage to Camp Perry.
The campsites went from being numbered to having names in the 1970's. (est. by Rayburn McNally, though others suggest that they were named earlier than that.)
The new swimming pool was finished in 1993. The dedicatory plaque reads – Camp Perry Pool The “Dean Porter Legacy continues through the generous support of: The Lightner Sams Foundation, Hoblitzelle Foundation, Alberto A. Munoz II, Bush Supply, and Harry Bugge, First National Bank of San Benito, Texas Commerce Bank, Valley National Bank, and Albert Villegas.†- The pool was completely re-built 15 years later.
Some time between October 2007 and October 2008 the North and South Shower houses (with flush toilets) were painted to match the other buildings in camp. Previously they were weathered wood silver/gray.
On July 23, 2008 Hurricane Dolly very nearly came direcly over Camp Perry. Damage was not as bad as it could have been. Several of the camp building's roofs were damaged. The Crafts center and the Office got new metal roofs shortly after the Hurricane Dolly, and were installed before 1 September 2008. The Office building had considerable mildew damage and was unusable for quite some time. The Little Arroyo was scoured clean of accumulated brush and debris. The outside curves of the banks had considerable erosion.
CP_Aerial2001.jpg
Camp Perry in 2001 aerial by US Soil Conservation Serv.
C_Perry_col_map2.jpg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Camp Perry Buildings - yr 2008 - most dates are estimates
Coordinates of North Side of building
est. Latitude Longitude
building date_blt deg min deg min
---------------------------------------- -------- ----------- -----------
Adult Showers 1991 26 16.054 97 35.032
Lodge 1929- 26 15.990 97 35.028
Camp Office 26 16.034 97 35.051
Nature Center - Nat-E-Con 1989 26 15.779 97 35.083
Archery range - Freddie E. Abbott Memorial 26 16.113 97 35.167
Shotgun range 26 16.123 97 35.185
Pit toilet station - rebuilt 1985 194_? 26 16.223 97 34.933
Pit toilet station - rebuilt 1985 194_? 26 16.162 97 34.947
Pit toilet station - rebuilt 1985 194_? 26 16.120 97 35.032
Pit toilet station - rebuilt 1985 194_? 26 16.089 97 34.999
Pit toilet station - rebuilt 1985 194_? 26 16.104 97 35.064
Pit toilet station - rebuilt 1985 194_? 26 15.876 97 35.039
Pit toilet station - rebuilt 1985 194_? 26 15.777 97 35.092
Falcon Campsite 1970 26 16.237 97 34.924
Ebony campsite 1970 ? 26 26.209 97 34.933
Dove campsite 1970 ? 26 26.203 97 34.948
Shower house Northside 2001 ? 26 16.153 97 34.986
Shower house Southside 2001 ? 26 15.861 97 35.079
Power Pole - last one S. end of road 26 15.858 97 35.071
Mesquite campsite 1970 ? 26 15.783 97 35.082
Nature (Nat E Con) pavilion 1989 26 15.779 97 35.053
Bridge across little arroyo - removed 199_ ? 26 15.750 97 35.083
small campsite on little arroyo 26 15.779 97 35.032
small campsite on little arroyo 26 0.000 97 0.000
Staff Quarters - southernmost 2005 26 15.884 97 35.083
Storage Shed - metal store-bought 2001 ? 26 15.887 97 35.082
Lone Pioneer campsite 197_ ? 26 15.857 97 35.033
Killdeer campsite 197_ ? 26 15.866 97 35.033
COPE tower 198_ ? 26 15.917 97 35.127
Storage Shed - metal - store-bought 200_ ? 26 15.927 97 35.105
Showers & restroom Staff Area 199_ ? 26 15.956 97 35.091
Staff Quarters - northern 2005 26 15.950 97 35.089
Storage sheds - 3 in a square U 196_ ? 26 15.931 97 35.087
Camp Directors cabin 195_ ? 26 15.961 97 35.044
Ranger house 193_ ? 26 15.931 97 35.037
Ranger work shed 195_ ? 26 15.925 97 35.037
Chacalaca campsite 197_ ? 26 16.135 97 34.953
Javalina campsite 197_ ? 26 16.144 97 35.027
Chacalaca campsite 197_ ? 26 16.135 97 34.953
Indigo campsite 197_ ? 26 16.112 97 35.051
Indigo campsite satellite campsite 197_ ? 26 16.110 97 35.026
Huisache campsite 197_ ? 26 16.091 97 35.045
Bobcat campsite 197_ ? 26 16.095 97 34.975
Armadillo campsite 197_ ? 26 16.064 97 34.991
Quartermaster barn 2000 ? 26 16.066 97 35.040
Storage building shingle roof 199_ ? 26 16.040 97 35.007
Office - and trading post 195_ ? 26 16.034 97 35.051
Scoutcraft - Handicraft 198_ ? 26 16.107 97 35.075
Rifle Range 1950 26 16.115 97 35.125
Archery Range 197_ ? 26 16.113 97 35.167
Shotgun Range 197_ ? 26 16.123 97 35.185
Overflow Parking area 198_ ? 26 16.123 97 35.185
Chapel (new) 2007- 26 16.065 97 35.229
Order of the Arrow Ceremonial platform 194_ ? 26 16.024 97 35.164
Swimming Pool (new) 1993- 26 16.013 97 35.090
Aluminum storage container TEU 2008 26 15.980 97 35.082
Scout Sign on wall near kitchen 26 15.997 97 35.056
Health Lodge 195_ ? 26 16.003 97 35.026
Dining Hall 1929 26 15.990 97 35.028
Pump House 1930 ? 26 15.973 97 35.046
Bowl - R.W. Liston Amphitheater 1929 26 15.980 97 35.018
Aluminum storage container TEU 2008 26 16.110 97 35.125
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scout Executives in Rio Grande Council
Tom E. Murray - Dec. 18, 1926 - Oct. 15, 1931
Robert L. Lyon - 1931 - June 1934 (was acting SE in 1931 as Murray was ill)
John L. Leslie - 1934 - Dec. 31, 1936 (acting Field Executive then Scout Exec.)
(none again until Oct. 1, 1937)
Arnold H Dreyer - Oct. 1, 1937 - June 20, 1953
Carlos E. Baker - July 1953 - June 1963
Richard O. Bentley - July 15, 1953 - April 30, 1967
James N. Goldstein - May 15, 1967 - Dec. 31, 1972
W. L. Grimes - Jan. 1, 1972 - Nov. 1, 1972
Oscar Lee Alexander - Nov. 15, 1972 - Feb. 24, 1976
Ernest C. Mehlhorn Jr. - April 1, 1976 - 1985
Dan White - 1985 - 1990
William M. Barron - 1990 - 1995
Steve Gerber - 1996 2005
Scott Workman - 2006
Ernesto Carballo - 2007 - (2013 ?)
Interrim - Steve Gerber -
Rudy Gonzalez - 2015 - (continues as R G Council Exec. in 2022)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This document is a living document, and may be updated, clarified, and corrected as time goes on.
Please feel free to comment/criticize. Send your mail to
mittelstaedt_g@yahoo.com
Special thanks for assistance and information for this history project go to:
Rayburn McNally
Pete Langan
Esther Brown
Robert (Uncle Bob) Whalen
Tom Weekly
Ernesto Carballo
Debbie Jackson de Oliveira
and others who made information available to me.
and for encouragement and patience,
Heather Blakemore, our Fox Patrol Leader
Wood badge SR 859
Thanks,
Gerard Mittelstaedt
SR 859 – Fox Patrol
Original file - created in 2008
latest update to this file - - 1 June 2011 - minor changes April 2022 -
In 2011 several pictures of early Camp Perry became available - see:
Some pictures including of Charles F. Perry
Historical pictures of buildings
Camp Perry Texas Home Page
Camp Perry History Index Page
.