105 N 1st St

Summary

Palmyra Boy Scout Cabin
105 N. 1st Street, Palmyra, Jefferson County, WI
Date of Construction: 1935

The Palmyra Boy Scout Cabin is a fine example of a small log cabin, which was made from local materials and built by local volunteers. Many towns across America were constructing these cabins in the first half of the twentieth century in order to provide a meeting location for their city’s Boy Scout troop. Communities came together and donated money, materials, and in many cases, the time and expertise to erect buildings for the Boy Scouts of America. The Palmyra Boy Scout Cabin became a place for fun activities but it also served as a venue for moral and social lessons.

In 1935, Fisk Carlin approached the Palmyra Village Board suggesting that the community build a cabin where the scouts would have a permanent place to meet. The Village of Palmyra provided a small grass-covered site just to the north of the village hall. Construction began on the cabin but due to the ongoing Great Depression construction continued over several years as money and materials were scarce. The cabin was constructed by the fathers of the scouts as well as other local volunteers. The Palmyra Boy Scout Cabin was finally completed in 1937.

Many of the materials were accumulated from in-kind donations. The tamarack logs were cut from the Jolliffe farm near Pleasant Valley and from woods located on the Charlie Williams property. The basement was dug by hand and the gravel that was removed was sold. Some of the lumber came from a Milwaukee wrecking company and the windows came from an out-of-business lumber yard.

The Boy Scouts of America offered to teach a boy how to live, camp and survive in the woods, how to start a campfire and cook a meal, how to interpret the signs of the forest and the tracks of animals, how to recognize wild fruits, roots and nuts which were good to eat and how to be strong enough to save a life. In turn, he would respect his flag and love his country, obey his parents and leaders. Being a Palmyra Boy Scout gave many young men the sense of belonging as well as access to adult mentoring. The Boy Scouts of America formulated the perfect combination of value based educational activities combined with fun.

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