History of the Tuck/East Girl Scouts

Girl Scouting arrived in the United States on March 12, 1912 when Juliet Gordon Low organized the first troop in Savannah, Georgia. Scouting grew by leaps and bounds and spread rapidly throughout the country. There are approximately 3.4 million members (2.5 million girls in five different levels) currently in Scouting.

Many local councils were established to arrange troop programs and by 1921, the Tuckahoe/Eastchester Council was created. Leading women of the community who were instrumental in this council from its beginnings until its merger were Eleanor Loan, Harvia Russell, Lola King, Helen Voris, and Doris Seakwood.

In the 1950’s a need was recognized to have a local Girl Scout cabin. Girls sold cookies and donated the five cents per box profit to the building fund. Troops, leaders and parents went door to door for nickel and dime donations. Individual women of the community made substantial cash donations. Finally, after five years, thanks to the generosity of many local businesses and tradesmen who donated their time, materials and skills, the Tuckahoe/Eastchester Girl Scout cabin was constructed on Westchester County land (later given to the town of Eastchester and leased to Girl Scouts to this day). On June 7, 1958, the cabin was dedicated.

By about 1967, smaller councils, such as ours, merged with the larger Post Road Council to better service the ever increasing number of Girl Scouts. In the fall of 1978, another reorganization created the Westchester/Putnam Council. In 2008, seven counties in the Hudson Valley became Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson.

Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is the largest voluntary organization for girls in the world. It is open to all girls ages 5 through 17 who subscribe to its ideals as stated in the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Tuckahoe/Eastchester currently has 50 troops consisting of 543 girls and over 100 adult volunteers.