A Brief History of Troop 65

In Chester County Council’shistory there have been two troops to bear the number 65. The first had its roots in the Pennsylvania Quaker tradition of brotherhood and kindness to others. It was first chartered in 1928 to the Sunnycrest Home for Boys. This was a Quaker institution originally established in Philadelphia in 1855. In 1922 it moved out to Chester County to its new home, a farm donated by Mr. Cheyney of Cheyney University. Its first Scoutmaster was Mr. Phillip Hudson, a Cheyney college professor from London England by way of the West Indies. Based on notations from early chartering archives, the Scouts of Troop 65 quickly established their reputation as outdoorsmen. They met on Saturday afternoons and regularly trekked 7-mile day hikes into the surrounding Chester County areas. The Troop 65 vegetable gardens became known throughout Chester County for their productivity, even during times of drought. There were 3 patrols; Lion, Tiger and Wolf -- and an active Explorer program, the precursor to today’s Venture Scouts. Troop 65 continued to grow, even though the Great Depression and World War II. In the Scoutmaster’s remarks, he noted that during this time the troop held annual Scout Dinners, collected and repaired toys for poor children as service projects, and ran monthly collections of metal, rubber, paper and rags throughout Cheyney, Thornbury and Westtown Townships. The troop’s roster also showed a 30% drop in membership due to military service. This first Troop 65 also earned fame for its musical ability and performed at many special Council events. In the very early 1950’s the Sunnycrest Farm for Boys closed, as did this first Troop 65.

From 1953 to 1984 the next incarnation of Troop 65 was chartered to the Exton Lions Club. During this time the troop met at various places, St. Paul’s Parish house, the West Whiteland School, and the Swedesford Road Scout Cabin (the ruins are still visible today along Swedesford Road near the intersection with Ship Road). From time to time, starting in 1959, Troop 65 would enjoy the hospitality of the newly built Exton Community Baptist Church, and in 1964 it became the troop’s regular meeting place. In 1985 Exton Community Baptist Church became the troop’s chartering organization, a relationship which continues to this day.

Today, Troop 65 boasts an average annual membership of 60+ scouts. The troop is active in the community with various service projects including cleanup of a portion of the Rte 30 Bypass, and participation in the Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies. Community projects performed by our eagles can be seen throughout the Exton area as well as other Chester County locations. The troop enjoys monthly camping trips, annual high-adventure excursions, and is well-known within the Chester County Council for its innovative camp cooking. The scouting experience provided by the Troop 65 program is such that many boys return as troop leaders following college.