Dad’s Milwaukee County Council Badges and Records

troop number patch, individual brass numbers “4” and “2,” and a brass BSA pin. The red and white troop numbers were worn on the uniform sleeve to identify unit membership. The felt backing indicates these were intended to be sewn onto the uniform, while the brass numbers (approximately 3/4 inch tall) could be attached to various parts of the uniform or equipment. The BSA pin represents official membership in the Boy Scouts of America.

Troop 42 of the Milwaukee County Council met regularly in the Milwaukee area during the period my father was a member, circa 1919-1921. These identifiers would have been proudly worn at troop meetings, council events, and at Indian Mound Reservation during summer camp. The red and white color scheme was typical of early troop number designs, chosen by troops to represent their unit identity within the larger council structure.

attendance or service achievements during my father’s time with the Milwaukee County Council. The reverse shows the pins that would have secured them to the uniform. Honor ribbons of this type were awarded for various accomplishments including perfect attendance at meetings, participation in council events, summer camp attendance, or completion of specific requirements.

The purple and green colors may have had specific meanings within the Milwaukee County Council’s recognition system. During the early 1920s, different councils established their own systems of recognition ribbons alongside the national awards. These ribbons would have been worn on the left breast of the Scout uniform, creating a visual record of achievement and participation that other Scouts and leaders could recognize immediately.

Scouting with “IMR” lettering, representing Indian Mound Reservation, the Milwaukee County Council’s camp in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The patch’s worn condition speaks to frequent wear, suggesting my father attended one or more summer camp sessions at this historic location.

Indian Mound Reservation was established in 1917, just two years before my father arrived in Milwaukee. The camp was named for the Native American burial mound located on the property, reflecting both the region’s indigenous history and the Scout movement’s emphasis on outdoor heritage and conservation. The camp sat on Silver Lake in Oconomowoc, about 35 miles west of Milwaukee, and offered Scouts swimming, boating, hiking, camping, and merit badge instruction in Wisconsin’s beautiful lake country.

This patch would have been a prized possession, worn proudly to show attendance at one of the region’s premier Scout camps. For a young Scout who had previously camped at Camp Delmont in Pennsylvania, Indian Mound Reservation represented a new landscape and new adventures—the lakes and forests of Wisconsin replacing the hills and streams of Pennsylvania.

important chapter in his scouting journey. Born in 1906, he began his Boy Scout career in Essington, Pennsylvania with Troop 1 of the Delaware and Montgomery Council. When his family moved to Milwaukee around 1919-1920, he transferred to Troop 42 of the Milwaukee County Council, adapting to a new council, new friends, and the distinctive landscape of Wisconsin.

The family’s stay in Milwaukee was relatively short, and they returned to Pennsylvania around 1921. My father rejoined Essington Troop 1 and continued his progression toward Eagle Scout, which he achieved alongside his brother Edgar S. Curry (born 1908). My Uncle Edgar aparently joined Boy Scouts in early 1920 in Milwaukee Troop 42. Both brothers demonstrated the values of persistence and adaptability—qualities reinforced by my father’s experience of successfully transferring between two councils while maintaining his commitment to Scouting.

These Milwaukee County Council artifacts are particularly meaningful because they represent courage and resilience—a young teenager joining a new troop far from home, making new friends, learning new landscapes, and maintaining his dedication to Scouting ideals despite the disruption of moving. That he kept these badges throughout his life, alongside his Pennsylvania materials, shows how much this Milwaukee chapter meant to my father.

All artifacts in this collection were donated to the Scout Heritage Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 2/13/2026