Cabin Grounds
The headquarters of Paoli 1, the Cabin sits on 20 acres of land at 1038 Radnor Road in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The troop grounds contain the Cabin, the Canoe Barn, the Lean-to, and many other facilities. Although the Troop has called this location home for many years, the grounds are constantly being improved and projects are expanded.
Driveway[]
The Troop's driveway is initially shared with two other residences but it soon forks to the left away from those houses and up into Paoli 1's grounds. There is a low chain at the entrance to the Paoli 1 fork that is up and padlocked when the Cabin is not being used. Naturally, the first person arriving to an event must take the chain down but it is also essential for the last person leaving to then put the chain up behind them.
The driveway has been heavily improved over the past decade. There was a new entrance sign installed down by the chain in 2005 and a much larger gateway, modeled on the one at Camp Horseshoe, has been added a little further up the driveway in 2011. The driveway also has the twelve tenets of the Scout Law on the trees lining its sides. Due to the driveway's length and it being only one car wide, several turn off areas have also been added to ease two-way traffic on the narrow path. This allows cars to pull off allowing those moving in the opposite direction to pass.
Canoe Barn[]
The first structure on the way up the driveway is the Canoe Barn, a two story building that houses Paoli 1's fleet of boats, support equipment, and canoe trailers. It has also been home to the Cannon and the trek carts in past years. Due to the incredibly steep staircase inside, boats are removed from the upper level by lowering them down through the double doors overlooking the Canoe Barn parking lot.
The clearing in front of the canoe barn is most often used for parking at sleepouts and as overflow parking for major Troop events. As mentioned above, it is also used to load the trailers with boats before trips. In addition, specialty equipment like log splitters, wood chippers, and small construction vehicles are sometimes parked in this location when not in use. It is not uncommon to see excess building materials, split wood, and other items being stored there too.
Just across the driveway from the Canoe Barn is a clearing which originally served the same purpose as the nearly identical plot of land directly across from it (parking and storage of materials). However, this small area has been converted and can be used as a small shooting range for the troop where scouts can safely and easily fire .22 rifles or practice their archery skills.
More information can be found here.
Climbing Tower[]
There is a trail that leads just past the Canoe Barn to the Troop's climbing tower. The tower has been refurbished and allows the Troop an opportunity to practice climbing and rappelling in their own backyard. Scouts are limited to only two different walls to climb and they also require a more experienced scout to supervise them, but it is much more convenient than traveling out to a rock gym to learn and practice climbing.
Lean-to[]
The trail from the Canoe Barn continues further down to the Lean-to, a log structure built with the downhill side open. There is a stone platform with an open fireplace and cooking grate on this open end of the lean-to. This is the ideal location for individual patrol sleepouts and it generally houses the Staff Patrol during Troop sleepouts.
Further down the path is a fire circle used occasionally during sleepouts and Den Chief events.
Patrol Campsites[]
Officially created in 2006, the patrol campsites are situated off the trail leading from the Lean-to to the Cabin. Originally all the patrols would simply pitch camp randomly in the area below the Lean-to, by the fire circle, but now each patrol has a designated camping location for Troop Sleepouts. signified by a post with the patrol colors.
Hadden Garage[]
The Driveway continues past the Canoe Barn and soon opens up into the main parking lot. Directly to the left is the Hadden Garage. The addition of this large garage has allowed for more orderly storage of construction equipment and other Troop gear such as the trek carts. The Troop van and trailers can now also be stored indoors. In 2011 a second floor was added to the garage to provide even more available space. This second level opens in the opposite direction of the lower doors, directly onto the trek cart path.
The Cabin[]
The Cabin as seen from the Flag Pole.
The Cabin is located at the terminus of the driveway. It is a two story building built into the hill so that it opens onto the parking lot from the lower level and the parade field from the upper level. The Cabin is the headquarters of Paoli 1 and is the site of all Troop Meetings, PLCs, and BORs. In addition to the main meeting room, the Cabin contains the Quartermaster room, Scoutmaster's office, the Trophy Room, an all-purpose room, a small garage, a full kitchen, and a full bathroom.
More information can be found here.
Parade Field and Bell Tower[]
The Bell Tower, seen from across the Parade Field.
Behind the Cabin, and on the same elevation level as the upper floor of the Cabin and the Hadden Garage, is the parade field. The field is boxed in between the Cabin's porch and the elevated seating area width-wise and the Bell Tower and the flag pole length-wise. The parade field is officially used only for Troop Meetings and the Birthday. At Troop Meetings the Staff Patrol inspects the Troop from the parade field while the scouts stand at the edge of the Cabin porch. Every single Birthday event takes place on the parade field with the exception of the Trek carts beginning on the separate trek cart path and during the short foot race in the signaling competition. Most Birthday practice is done on the parade field and the Birthday picture is also taken on the field.
Unofficially, the field is used as an athletic field. During most sleepouts, a game, usually football, is held there. The field also sees use during some training days and BORs. Leading up to the Birthday, the field is normally closed to scouts so it can recover from all the wear and tear of the year and grow a healthy and even layer of grass for the Troop's anniversary.
Flag Pole Dedication Marker
At the far left of the field (when viewed from the Cabin porch) is the Bell Tower. It is a large black structure of four massive telephone poles holding a platform up in the air over the field. Suspended from this platform is the Troop's bell which was refurbished in 2007. There is a rappelling demonstration every year at the Birthday in which senior scouts descend from the tower and ring the bell.
At the far right of the field is the Troop's flag pole. The pole is naturally featured prominently in the opening ceremony of the Birthday but also sees more regular use in its role to help new scouts learn the flag ceremony or even as a marker for small orientation tests at the Cabin. The flag pole is dedicated and marked with a plaque to the nine Paoli 1 scouts who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country in the Second World War. It shares this with the Cabin's chandelier which also commemorates these brave young men. It reads:
"In Grateful Memory of Scouts of Paoli Troop No 1, B.S.A.
Elwin Blackstone, Richard Holland, David Comly, Geo. R. Howell 3rd, G. Lee. J. Forster, Robert Love, David Haughton, Edgar D. Morris Jr., Howard Potts
Who Sealed their Scout Pledge of Loyalty to their Country with their Lives in World War II."
Other[]
Trek Cart Path[]
At the head of the driveway, right before it turns and expands into the main parking lot, is the Trek Cart Path. This is the path that the Trek carts take to reach the rear of the Parade Field for the Birthday. The path also allows vehicles an alternate way to access the field when required. It is essential that this path is not blocked by parked cars during the Birthday.
Wood Shed[]
Built onto the far side of the Cabin is a small covered platform that houses the Troop's supply of firewood for all meetings and events. There is frequently surplus wood which is piled in other areas around the Cabin and even the Canoe Barn but this is the primary storage location.
It is split into a double level platform with a lower level accessible from the basement level of the Cabin and an upper level accessible from the Parade Field. In addition, many of the components necessary for building the Birthday towers are kept here.
The driveway also extends around the shed and up around to the flag pole and Parade Field. This is the path that is used at the Birthday for nearly every exiting event.
Obstacle Course[]
The Paoli 1 obstacle course had been a long time landmark of the Troop's woods but has since been removed. It was rarely used and had fallen into a dilapidated state. This area is now used for patrol campsites and the remains of the obstacle course live on as a mobile course sometimes used for recruitment events.
The Creek[]
Near the edge of the grounds, at the bottom of the hill by Croton road, is a shallow creek. This area is largely unused and is void of any construction projects save a few service projects to clear the area or cut down a few trees.