at Valley Forge
Onward For God and My Country
A Week That Made a Difference
The theme “Onward For God and My Country” wasn’t just words on a banner. It was embodied in every moment: from the opening night spectacular featuring Vice President Richard Nixon (substituting for an ill President Eisenhower), to the breathtaking fireworks display that illuminated a cross and Star of David in the night sky, to the daily activities that tested our Scout skills and forged friendships with memories of a lifetime.
The Jamboree Experience
Arriving at Valley Forge
Our trip to Valley Forge may have been less exciting than for most of the Scouts from around the country as we lived about 15 miles from Valley Forge, but we were VERY excited. The Valley Forge Council and the Philadelphia Council were host councils for the event. But what may have been more exciting for those in our special troop was that this jamboree was somewhat of a training experience, because from Valley Forge we would be traveling by train to Quebec, Canada to board a ship bound for England to attend the Jubilee World Jamboree. Our special troop had been formed from 38 Explorer Scouts and leaders from many troops in the council; including 27 Eagle Scouts. So we arrived at Valley Forge.
Our Camp
In just 72 hours, 25,000 tents were pitched, creating a temporary city that rivaled many small towns. I think our troop, Valley Forge Troop 31, camped in site 33 near Gulph Road and Outer Line Drive. I believe our tents were Overnighter Boy Scout tents or similar.
Activities & Adventures
The Jamboree offered endless activities:
Historic tours: Visits to Washington Memorial Chapel, the National Memorial Arch, walking tours
Skills competitions: Log rolling, rope tying, obstacle courses, and more
Trading post: Where Scouts from every state swapped badges, patches, and stories, and boy was that fun!
Conservation exhibits: Demonstrations on soil and water conservation
Entertainment: Air Force flyovers, exhibitions, and evening programs
Day Trips & Excursions
Many troops took excursions to nearby historic sites, but not ours since this was “our neck of the woods”. Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross House were things we had visited on numerous occasions. We enjoyed hiking around the park, meeting scouts from Texas, New Mexico, and other “exotic” places, and swapping patches and neckerchiefs. I remember watching a motorcade when Vice President Richard Nixon rode by and waved. I also met Senator Ralph Yarborough from Texas and have his autographed card in my collection.
The Opening Ceremony
The opening night featured a theater, a bowl-shaped natural amphitheater on the side of a hillside—about the size of Yankee Stadium—holding all 52,000 boys and leaders plus 30,000 visitors. The stage was about the size of 3 football fields. It was amazing being a part of this special evening. Vice President Nixon’s address, the massed flags representing every state and territory, the bands, the re-enactments, and that unforgettable fireworks finale were spectacular. At one point, all the Scouts lit a candle during the singing of a patriotic song (before the days of phones with lights).
The Collection
This collection represents some tangible memories of that incredible week. Each artifact tells a story—of preparation, participation, and the pride we felt representing our troops and councils on that historic ground. Some of the artifacts are as simple as a small bag of dirt (hallowed ground from Valley Forge), or a map distributed by one of the oil companies, or the parking stub with the jamboree logo when Mom and Dad visited.
What You’ll Find in This Collection:
Neckerchiefs & Insignia
- Jamboree neckerchiefs, official Jamboree patches, regional patches, troop patches
- Participant badges
Printed Materials
- Daily Jamboree Journal newspapers (all but one edition from the week)
- Daily menus for what we all cooked
- Official program guides
- Maps of the Jamboree site
- Informational brochures and booklets
Ephemera
- Parking permits and entry passes
- Postcards and Jamboree postmarks
Commemorative Items
- Coins and medals
- Promotional materials
Featured Artifacts
🔷Jamboree Neckerchief and Patches
The distinctive red, white, and blue neckerchief worn by all participants… View Details →
📰 Jamboree Journals
Set of six of seven (almost complete) daily newspapers published during the week… View Details →
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
📚Fourth National Jamboree Book
Over 60 pages of images and memories highlighting … View Details →
🌭 Patrol Menus
“They” provided menus and ingredients; we cooked fine … View Details →
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
Souvenirs, Maps, and Other Artifacts
The Valley Forge Jamboree experience extended beyond the official program materials. These everyday items—from parking permits to souvenir maps, commemorative pins to bags of “hallowed soil”—capture the commercial, practical, and sentimental aspects of attending a National Jamboree in 1957.
While these may seem like small mementos, together they paint a picture of what it was actually like to be there: navigating the grounds with gas station maps, saving postcards with special cancellations, collecting souvenirs to remember the week, and bringing home a piece of Valley Forge itself.
📍 Pins & Commemorative Items
These small keepsakes were treasured reminders of our time at Valley Forge.
Valley Forge Jamboree Pin
Photo ID: 044-06
Decorative pin with distinctive gold and purple ribbons
The purple and gold ribbons on this pin are interesting, and I have no idea of their choice as red, white, and blue were clearly the colors of the 1957 Valley Forge Jamboree.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
1957 National Jamboree Commemorative Coin
Photo ID: 044-07, 044-07b
Gold-colored commemorative coin
The reverse inscription reads “On this hallowed ground…” connecting our Jamboree experience to the Revolutionary War soldiers who endured the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge. This coin served as both souvenir and reminder of the historic significance of our gathering place.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
1957 National Jamboree Pin
Photo ID: 044-08
Small gold-colored pin with official logo
A simple but meaningful pin that many of us wore on our uniforms or camp gear throughout the week.
Dispositions
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
Official Logo Sticker
Photo ID: 044-09
Official 1957 National Jamboree logo sticker
These stickers appeared on everything from notebooks to canteens, letting everyone know you were part of the Valley Forge gathering.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
🚗 Practical Items
Even getting to the Jamboree and navigating the area required planning and produced memorable artifacts. This was probably from my parents on a visit to the Jamboree.
Official Parking Permit
Photo ID: 044-10
50-cent all-day parking permit
Fifty cents for all-day parking! This small permit is a reminder of how different costs were in 1957. For families and leaders bringing Scouts to the Jamboree, these permits provided access to the grounds.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
🌳 Pennsylvania Souvenirs
Valley Forge and Pennsylvania offered unique mementos that connected us to the local landscape and history.
Valley Forge Dogwood Seeds
Photo ID: 044-11
Souvenir seed packet from Pennsylvania
What a wonderful souvenir—seeds from the dogwood trees that grew on the historic grounds. Many of us took these home hoping to grow our own piece of Valley Forge. I wonder how many of these seeds were actually planted and whether any trees survive today?
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
Hallowed Soil from Valley Forge
Photo ID: 044-15
Bag of soil from the Jamboree grounds
Packaged by the Conservation Districts of America, this small bag of “hallowed soil” from Valley Forge was perhaps the most symbolic souvenir available. Taking home actual earth from the grounds where Washington’s army camped made the historical connection tangible and personal. I’ll bet there aren’t many of these around today.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
🗺️ Maps & Navigation
Multiple companies provided free maps to help visitors navigate the Jamboree and surrounding area. These maps are fascinating time capsules of 1950s Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Railroad Souvenir Map Folder
Photo ID: 044-16 through 044-16e
Multi-panel souvenir map with photos and site information
Contents:
- Illustrated guide to visiting Valley Forge
- Historic photos of the site
- Detailed map of Jamboree grounds
- Location map showing proximity to Philadelphia and rail lines
- Jamboree site layout
The Pennsylvania Railroad clearly saw the Jamboree as an opportunity to promote both their service and Pennsylvania tourism. This elaborate folder provided everything a visitor needed to navigate the area.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
Atlantic Refining Company Map Folder
Photo ID: 044-17 through 044-17d
Map folder with Atlantic Refining logo
Contents:
- Map of Jamboree grounds with suggested walking tours
- Map of surrounding area
- Space for “Scouts I Met” (a wonderful feature encouraging us to record new friendships!)
- Detailed area map
The gas companies were major sponsors of Scouting in the 1950s, and Atlantic Refining’s map folder included the thoughtful “Scouts I Met” section—recognizing that the friendships formed were as important as the places visited.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
Sunoco Souvenir Map
Photo ID: 044-18 through 044-18f
Sunoco-branded souvenir map of Jamboree and Philadelphia area
Contents:
- Map of Jamboree grounds and immediate surroundings
- Road map of greater Philadelphia area
- Personal notation overlaid in photo showing Valley Forge, where I grew up, and where my father grew up
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
Freedom Foundation Site Guide
Photo ID: 044-19 through 044-19f
Historic and orientation guide for the Valley Forge site
Contents:
- Historic aspects of the Jamboree site
- Orientation information for leaders
- “American Way of Life” diagram
- Blue tour guide
- Red tour guide
- Site map with marked tours
The Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge provided this comprehensive guide connecting the Jamboree experience to the Revolutionary War history and American values. The color-coded tour system (blue and red routes) helped organize the thousands of Scouts visiting the historic sites.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
✉️ Postal Items & Communications
The 1957 Jamboree offered special postal cancellations and commemorative mailings that Scouts eagerly collected.
Canceled Postcards Collection
Photo ID: 044-13
Two stamped postcards with approximately a dozen special cancellations
These postcards feature the Boys’ Life magazine connection and multiple special cancellation marks from the Jamboree post office. Collecting these special postal marks was a popular activity—each cancellation documented a moment in time at Valley Forge.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
Commemorative Envelope with Stamps
Photo ID: 044-14, 044-14b
Envelope with 61 cents worth of stamps and special Jamboree logo cancellation
The reverse shows the Boys’ Life imprint, connecting this mailing to Scouting’s official magazine. The 61 cents in postage (in 1957!) suggests this was a special commemorative mailing rather than standard correspondence, or it just may have been a whim of mine. (If anyone knows any significance of this specific postage amount, I’d love to hear about it!)
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
🤝 Personal Connections
U.S. Senator Ralph Yarborough Business Card
Photo ID: 044-12, 044-12b
Business card with personal message and autograph
Senator Yarborough from Texas visited the Jamboree and took time to meet Scouts, sign autographs, and distribute his business card with personal messages. These encounters with political leaders reinforced the connection between Scouting, citizenship, and public service.
The fact that I kept this card for 68 years shows how meaningful these brief encounters with national figures were to us as young Scouts.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
⛪ Sunday Worship
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Service Bulletin
Photo ID: 044-20 through 044-20c
Sunday worship service bulletin with morning and evening services
Contents:
- Sunday service information
- Morning and evening service bulletins
- Hymn selections
The Jamboree provided worship opportunities for Scouts of many faiths. This LDS service bulletin documents the organized religious programming that was an integral part of the Jamboree experience, reflecting Scouting’s emphasis on “duty to God.” I’m not sure who gave this to me, but I’m sure I worshipped as an Episcopalian.
Disposition
1/29/2026-to Unami Lodge History Committee advisor
💭 Reflections on “Small” Artifacts
While these items might seem insignificant compared to official badges and programs, they’re equally important to understanding the full Jamboree experience. The gas station maps show how we navigated unfamiliar territory. The parking permit reminds us that families and leaders made the journey to support us. The bag of soil and dogwood seeds reveal our desire to take home something tangible from this sacred ground.
Together, these everyday items tell the story of 52,000 Scouts converging on Valley Forge—each wanting to remember, to connect, to bring home proof that we were part of something historic.
Even now, these “souvenirs, maps, and other artifacts” transport me back to that hot July week when everything seemed possible and the entire Scouting movement gathered on hallowed ground.
Historical Context
Why Valley Forge?
Valley Forge holds a sacred place in American history. During the winter of 1777-1778, General George Washington and approximately 12,000 Continental Army soldiers endured brutal conditions here, emerging in the spring as a disciplined, unified fighting force. The 1957 Jamboree’s theme “Onward For God and My Country” connected directly to the perseverance, faith, and dedication demonstrated by those Revolutionary War soldiers.
This was the second National Jamboree held at Valley Forge (the first was in 1950), and a third would follow in 1964.
A Memorable Journey
For Scouts from across America, the journey itself was often as memorable as the Jamboree. Fifty special trains carried Scouts to Valley Forge, along with countless buses and private vehicles. For our troop formed of Scouts throughout the council, we were from this area. After the Jamboree, we all were off to England for the Jubilee Jamboree of Scouting in the world.
What I Learned
Knowing this special place where the Jamboree was held, having visited this quiet national park on many occasions, to see it and live in it with Scouts from around the country and the world, to trade a patch for a horned frog, to meet and work with Scouts from around the country, all made me proud to be a Boy Scout as well as part of our great country. I also learned in practice the importance of the Scout Law, Scout Promise, and Scout Motto; they make a difference.
The Legacy
Sixty-eight years later, these artifacts remain vivid reminders of a formative experience. They represent not just a week at Valley Forge, but the values, friendships, and memories that shaped who I became.
Related Collections
- 1957 Jubilee Jamboree Collection – Just one month later, I traveled to England for another life-changing experience
- 1957 World Jamboree Badge Collection
Resources & Further Reading
Collection Status: These artifacts are part of my personal collection, with select items designated for future museum donation. Many of the artifacts I would like to give to deserving Scouts, troops, councils, archives or museums where I can be assured they will be appreciated, shared with and viewed by others, but never sold.
“The principles of Scouting don’t change. But the way we live them does, shaped by moments like that week at Valley Forge when 52,000 boys came together in friendship, faith, and service.”
Last Updated: January 26,2026