Conquistador Council History
Scouting did not just happen. It came about because of a need for a good boys’ program. In the early part of this century the cities were growing. Families were moving form the farm to the newly industrialized areas.
Boys’ organizations were beginning to spring up over the country.
Credit for the development of Boy Scouting program must go to Baden-Powell. Through his experiences in training your city boys for service in the wilds of Africa, he found that the important thing was to teach them to take care of themselves in the rugged countryside.
Early Troops in Roswell
Records are not available on all the early efforts, but by 1913 D.N. Pope, then principal of old Central School, organized a troop. Among it members were Pete Hodges, Tom and Dude Peck, Walden Bassett, Nelson Manley and Raymond Armold. This troop was active for two years.
In 1913, Professor Young organized a troop in the Christian Church at 4th and Richardson. Minor Huffman, Louis Heisig, and Quinton Marshall were members of this group.
In late 1915 Harold Hurd, a lawyer, organized a troop. No other troops were functioning at the time, and it was designated as Troop 1. Among it members were Pete Hurd, Bill Hurd, Dan Cooney, Eddie Mapes, Melvin Mapes, Chas. Hurt, Edgar Hurt, Jack Beeson, Sidney Redfield, Louis Prager, and Jack Ballard. In 1917 to 1919 Rev. Edw. S. Doan of St. Andrews Episcopal Church was the leader of this troop.
In the Spring of 1916 Troop 2 was organized, with a Sunday School Class in the Southern Methodist Church as a nucleus. Mrs. Tomlinson Fort was teacher of a boy’s class, and when the need for another troop was brought up in class, the big question raised was, “Where can we find a leader?” Mrs. Fort spoke up and volunteered Mr. Fort for Scoutmaster. He accepted, but never forgot just how he got into Scouting. Among the Scouts in this troop were Tom Fort, Jr., Elmer Eggleston, Herbert Dimmitt, Ted Brough, Harry Brough, Wendell Doty, George Jewett, Jr., Pruit Denning, Adolph Wilson, Joe McKnight, Jim McKnight, Carl Bird, Louis Heisig, Don Huffman, Minor Huffman, Bob Fall, Hinton Wilmont, Paul Wilmont, and Robert Hamilton. This is one of the early troops with continuous existence.
George B. Jewett could well be called the Father of Scouting in Roswell. He took a active interest in two existing troops that seemed to be always struggling for a meeting place. In 1920 a second class Council was organized, with George B. Jewett as President, and Carl M. Einhart as Secretary. Backed by a group of business men, they purchased the old church building at 311 N. Pennsylvania.
Troop 1 was sponsored by the Rotary Club and L.B. Plummer was Scoutmaster. Troop 2 was sponsored by the American Legion, with Asa Guffey as Scoutmaster. Troop 3 was sponsored by the Advertising Club, with Tode Brenneman as Scoutmaster. Troop 4, which was sponsored by the Kiwanis Club was led by H. O. DeShurley. Summer Camp in 1922, 23 and 24 was at Pine Lodge, with each troop going for a week.
Council Organized
In the Fall of 1924 the Regional office sent E. E. Voss, a field worker, to Roswell for a conference. After a lengthy meeting it was decided to try to organize all of Eastern New Mexico into one council, with a budget of $6,000.
Minor Huffman was to start his work as Scout Executive on January 1, 1925. His annual salary was to be $2,700.
The birth of the Eastern New Mexico area Council took place at this meeting. The Council was off to a good start. If the author (Minor Huffman) had known he would be asked to write the history of the Council fifty-eight years later he would have kept better records of these early years.
Potato Canyon
The summer of 1925 found several of our troops camping at Pine Lodge. In the summer of 1926 one big camp was held at Ruidoso. Early in 1927 the announcement of a new Boy Scout Camp for the troops of the Eastern New Mexico council was received with enthusiasm.
Council leaders were convinced that better facilities in a more remote mountain area was necessary for good troop camping. The council appointed a committee to investigate several spots. Late in 1926 a delightful piece of property was located in the Sacramento Mountains, about twelve miles west of Weed, in Potato Canyon. The camp committee, with the approval of the Executive Board, made a quick decision, purchase some deeded land and hastily began the task of developing adequate facilities. By April 1927 it was evident that the camp would be ready for use the coming summer.
Bill Lumpkins of Troop #6, Roswell and Ridgely Whiteman of Troop 2, Clovis, arrived at the Scout office in Roswell, with their packs, ready to get on their way at noon Friday. My (Minor Huffman) 1925 Model T Coupe was loaded. The truck space was soon full with supplies plus the running board rack was filled to capacity. Besides the bedrolls we carried containers of gas, oil and water. As we turned into the canyon we were within four miles of our new camp “Wehinahpay”. The car was boiling as we climbed to the camp site at approximately 8000 ft. elevation.
By this time it was dark and our car lights fell upon stacks of freshly sawed lumber. Here the new camp was under construction. The workmen having gone home for the night left the entire area for our inspection. We soon found a place to lay our bedrolls. To protect our food from the bears we locked it in the trunk of the car. The coming of the morning sun was the beginning of a busy day. Immediately after breakfast we began to look the area over. We hiked up the spring and marveled at the cool, clear water gushing out of the rocks. It was a good hike and we began dreaming of the possibilities of a camp program that would appeal to our scout troops. Here indeed was a setting that gave great opportunities for hiking, nature study, forestry and scout craft needed along the advancement trail.
Pioneers had found this canyon many years before. The little cultivated patches were used to grow grain. The cellars in the hillsides were necessary to store the potatoes and other vegetables. While the cellars kept them from freezing during the cold winter and cool during the summer, it was also a place to season the potatoes. Because of the quality and quantity of potatoes grown in this canyon, it became known by the early settlers as Potato Canyon.
Camp Wehinahpay has been the center of council interest and planning beginning with is location in Potato canyon in 1927. Since that time over 25,000 Scouts and their leaders had an enjoyable experience there. Most attended one or more regular summer periods, although some have spent only weekends at camp with their troop or at the Order of Arrow Ordeals, or various training programs and projects.
Many of our early campers now have grandsons or great grandsons enjoying the same fine camping program at Wehinahpay. The experience for campers grows more meaningful as the years pass and finally nostalgia takes over.
The history, “The Saga of Potato Canyon”, is dedicated to the hundreds of leaders who have led their troops to this mountain camp, and have helped not only in the activities but in the effort to inculcate the Scout Oath and Laws, the Daily Good Turn, and the Motto, Be Prepared, in the daily lives of the Scouts.
Our hope is that there will always be men willing to give their time and share in their skills so that Camp Wehinahpay will continue to play an important role for the Conquistador Council in the years ahead.
Minor Huffman
