Ktemaque Lodge was born of an ideal. The
ideal was exceptional leadership founded upon the principles found in
the setting of Scouting. This ideal was fundamental in the Treasure
Island Scout Camp, on the Delaware River where in 1915 Dr. E. Urner
Goodman and Carroll A. Edson formed the first group of Scouts who
exemplified the principles of honor campers into the first lodge of the
Order of the Arrow. Like Scouting, the Order of the Arrow was quick to
gain acceptance and so it spread from the original lodge to over 500
lodges today all throughout the country.
Chappegat Lodge #15 was one
of the oldest lodges in the country. It was formed just eight years
(1923) after Dr. Goodman and Carroll Edson formed the Order of the
Arrow. It received the number "15" since it was the fifteenth lodge to
be officially chartered in the country. Chappegat was named after the
council's camp. In Iroquois it translates to mean "deep water." The
charter members of the lodge were inducted into the Order of the Arrow
by members of another lodge. After the induction ceremony the original
members were crossing Lake Kanuwahke to return to camp. While paddling
their canoes the new Arrowmen saw a group of five beavers traveling in
the same direction, and thus the beaver was chosen as their lodge
totem. The Chappegat Lodge was chartered to the Siwanoy Council in New
Rochelle, New York on August 22, 1923.
Hanigus Lodge #47 was formed
and chartered on June 17, 1930 to the Bronx Valley Council in Mount
Vernon, New York. Hanigus means "ground squirrel" in the language of
the Delaware. The lodge totem was the chipmunk.
In 1957, Chappegat #15 and
Hanigus #47 Lodges merged to form a new lodge: Mide Lodge #15. Mide
kept the number 15 from Chappegat Lodge. Mide was chartered to the
Hutchinson River Council in New Rochelle, New York in 1957. The name
Mide is a derivative from the expression "Mide Dew Agum" meaning "Great
Medicine Drum" in the Chippewa language. The lodge totem was rightfully
a ceremonial drum.
Wiccopee Lodge #86 was formed
and chartered on June 4, 1936 to the Hendrick Hudson Council in
Ossining, New York. Wiccopee means "long dam" or "long hill" in the
language of the Algonquin. The lodge totem was the great horned owl. In
January of 1947 Wiccopee Lodge was disbanded. The members of the
disbanded Wiccopee Lodge came together again in 1948 to form the Great
Horned Owl Lodge #86 also chartered to the Hendrick Hudson Council.
The Wakoda Lodge #246 was
formed and chartered on August 6, 1943 to the Fennimore Cooper Council
in White Plains, New York. The name "Wakoda" has no known meaning. The
lodge totem was the fir tree.
In 1951, Great Horned Owl
Lodge #86 merged into the Wakoda Lodge #246 and remained as Wakoda
Lodge #246.
Kitchawonk Lodge #32 was
formed and chartered on August 5, 1927 to the Yonkers Council, Yonkers,
New York. Kitchawonk is a Delaware word meaning "high sandy place". The
lodge totem was the kingfisher. In June of 1947 Kitchawonk Lodge
rechartered under a new name: Tahawus Lodge #32. Tahawus is Delaware
for "cloud splitter". The lodge totem was the half moon. Tahawus Lodge
was also from the Yonkers Council, Yonkers, New York.
On August 8, 1955 Tahawus
Lodge #32 and Wakoda Lodge #246 merged to form Horicon Lodge #246.
Horicon Lodge was named after the town of Horicon, New York in which
the council's camp was located. Horicon Lodge was chartered to the
Washington Irving Council in White Plains, New York. The lodge totem
was the raccoon.
In 1973 Mide Lodge #15 and
Horicon Lodge #246 merged to form Ktemaque Lodge #15. The merge
occurred at approximately the same time as the Washington Irving Council and
Hutchinson River Council merged to form the Westchester-Putnam Council
of White Plains, New York, which Ktemaque Lodge is chartered to today. In 1996 the Westchester-Putnam Council moved
its headquarters to Hawthorne, New York.
Ktemaque is a Delaware word meaning "from the land of the beaver." The
lodge totem is the beaver.
Ktemaque Lodge celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2003.
