On January 1, 1999, Thomas A. Edison Council merged with George Washington Council to form the new Central New Jersey Council. This page explores some of the history of Thomas A. Edison Council.

In the year of 1969 a proposal to merge and consolidate Raritan Council of Perth Amboy and Middlesex Council of Edison was about to take place. These two councils were serving the area Scouts from the early 1920s. Middlesex Council had been formerly located in Highland Park but was now located in the Camp Kilmer section of Edison. Raritan Council was located in Perth Amboy.

The Red and White Council strip was issued in the 1969-70 era after the merger of the Raritan and Middlesex Councils. The Thomas A. Edison strip, issued in the early 1970s, was determined by a contest in the Council. It was recommended, at the time, that the patch reflect the likeness of the man, not his inventions.

• Raritan Council
• Middlesex Council

Council Camps - Cowaw, Sakawawin Scout Reservation, and Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation
At the time, the new council owned two camps, Camp Cowaw (formerly of the Raritan Council) on the Delaware and Sakawawin Scout Reservation (formerly of the Middlesex Council) in Stokes State Forest. With the eventual close of Cowaw because of the Tocks Island Dam Project, Sakawawin Scout Reservation was now to become the only camp. In the early 1970s, the camp was to be expanded, with the original side being Sakawawin and the new section Cowaw. Under the guidance of Scout Executive Ken Davis, a major expansion took place. A new lake, campsites, and facilities were constructed. This was then called Thomas A. Edison Scout camps. As the years grew, so did the camp, And finally a new name, Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation was taken, recognizing the mountains surrounding the camp.

Merger Events - The first event to commemorate the combining of the councils as the Thomas A. Edison Council was Expo Boypower held in the spring of 1969. This mini-jamboree type of event, the largest of its kind ever held in the area, was held in Johnson Park in Piscataway and introduced the new council and districts to the membership. The Council eventually purchased a piece of property in central Edison and renovated the new "council office." A contest was held to develop a new council strip, and the theme was to honor Thomas Edison, the man.

• Merger Background

  • Time Line Chart - This show the series of mergers leading to the Thomas A. Edison Council. Time begins at the bottom and flows upward. Some of the dates are uncertain and should be used only to indicate a general area of time.

Order of the Arrow- Another significant change would be to combine the two Order of the Arrow Lodges. Cowaw Lodge #9 and Sakawawin Lodge #287 would have to become one.

In late 1969, twenty arrowmen attended Sakawawin Scout Reservation, and this group created the new "Narraticong Lodge #9" named after a small group of "Delawares" that lived south of the Raritan River. A new set of bylaws and totem was to be chosen, initially the totem of the Beaver and Pine Tree was used. The first lodge flap had the new totem, the mosquito, which was quite abundant in our area.

In 1971 Narraticong hosted the Area 2-C Conference, also the year of our 50th anniversary as a lodge.

• Narraticong Lodge #9 History
• Narraticong Lodge #9 Patches

Council Patches - The history Thomas A. Edison Council seen through its patches.