Trending
SPRING MILLS -- Some of Don "DJ" Walters Jr.'s favorite moments in scouting came at the Troop No. 4 Cabin at the Seven Mountains Scout Camp.
At times, being there was almost like hanging out with an old friend.
"Some of my best memories at the cabin were sleeping on the porch in sub-freezing temperatures, building shelters in the woods to practice wilderness survival techniques and simply setting on the porch listening to the sounds of nature and the creek bubbling in front of the cabin," recalled Walters, who was a member of Boys Scouts of America Troop No. 4, based in Lewistown, from 2000 until 2006.
Walters, now age 36, earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2005.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Walters at the 52nd Annual Klondike Derby on Saturday at the Seven Mountains Scout Camp. In addition to all the traditional derby activities, Troop No. 4 Cabin was open one last time for tours before it's removed by the Juniata Valley Council of Boy Scouts of America.
The lease for the cabin between the council and the Lewistown Presbyterian Church expired in 2021 and the council informed the troop that the cabin can no longer be used for camping in August 2023.
The council's plan is to remove the cabin from its current location sometime this year. Troop No. 4 received special permission to use the cabin during the Klondike Derby.
According to troop officials, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said the location of the cabin in relation to the nearby dam is not permissible. Moving the cabin would be expensive and require upgrades to complete; funding the troop simply does not have.
Walters was there to see it once more with his sons and build a few lasting memories. "My 11-year-old is a current Scout in Troop 4," Walters said. "My youngest son is 10 and will be crossing over in the troop from Cub Scouts next year," Walters said.
The Walters family has strong ties to the camp as DJ's great grandfather and great uncle, who also earned his Eagle Scout rank while in Troop 4, both helped build the bunk house addition in 1950.
"It is very unfortunate," Walters said of the cabin's demise.
The old cabin came from the generosity of William P. Woods, of Lewistown, who built Troop No. 4 a larger cabin during the construction of the Seven Mountains Boy Scout Camp.
Troop No. 4 retained half of the original tract on which the new cabin was built. When Woods passed away in 1948, the parcel was deeded to the council, and was subsequently developed into several summer camp sites.
But Woods, whose life-long dream of helping young boys to become useful citizens and realizing his dream through scouting, always held a special place in his heart for Troop No. 4.
He made certain his beloved troop would always have a place to call its own. It was long said that the second deed stipulated that as long as the troop's charter never lapsed for more than 30 days, Troop No. 4 would retain its cabin, along with the two and a half acres of land it sits on.
In return, Troop No. 4 had to maintain a totem pole on the campgrounds and add one foot of pole each year. Later, it was agreed the troop only needed to maintain a totem pole.
However, it was removed after it fell on someone, severely injuring them. That voided that part of the agreement.
The cabin has seen many changes over the years. The biggest came in the 1950s, when an addition was added to serve as a bunkroom. This doubled the size of the cabin. Improvements have also been made over the years, ensuring that the structure remains in good repair.
•••
Local historian Paul Fagley also contributed to this story.