The Story of Baden-Powell Park as told by Doug Lunsford

"Baden-Powell Park was during my tenure as FD in then Concho Valley Council. I worked for SE Carl Cummins.

"We were working closely with the Girls Scout Council and they gave up the camp assigned to them under county contract with Tom Green County and/or City of San Angelo. We received I believe for $100 and took it over. It had two latrines. One was nice concrete building and another of wood frame. They were both with electricity to some extent and flush toilets with showers.

"I proposed the name Baden-Powell Park because we invited (as a council) to have the GSUSA camp at their opportunity at whatever cost Troops and Packs were paying from BSA. I cannot at this time remember the name of the camp they had used but I think it was for the Founder of GSA.

"It was inundated with fire ants and no maintenance had been done. There were remnants of covered camping and these were not repaired. The dock into the lake was in total disrepair. The camp also had a nice meeting room with kitchen area.. It had a brick façade. As a Council work event in coordination with Wahinkto (OA) Lodge Officers undertook a cleaning and revamped the admin building. Lodge Chief(s) at this point were – David O’Neill, Donnie Lunsford, and Wayne Graham.

"We conducted outdoor leader training for Scouts, Cub Scouts, and OA and a few District RT as well.

"I obtained a grant to purchase a fire ant program through Chevron Chemicals and purchased a seeder and chemicals to use on the Camp Sol Mayer tractor. The camp maintained an excellent program of eliminating the fire ants. However, one land owner across the lake was named DeCoty. The family did not attempt any maintenance ion their property and after nearly every large storm on Lake Nasworthy the fireants crossed the lake to our property.

"A maintenance storage building was cleaned and rearranged for all property there and Butch Simpson kind of took a watch along with Camp Sol Mayer Ranger Mike Wallace with me as FD and Properties Manager. Goodfellow NCO Classes would come do major projects for community service including a dock renovation with materials provided by Western Iron Works CEO and Council President Bruce Willig. Former Council President  Jim Hughes provided the committee with land and management expertise.

"At least three camporees were held during my tenure as FD from April 15 1993 to April 15, 1998. I believe we took this over in 1994 about October.

"The owner of Western Towers provided three flagpoles built at his plant in San Angelo for the main camp. Charles Anderson is his name and he had Troop 46, I think. I contacted GE utilities manager Billy (?) who was our Council Commissioner to provide a truck to drill the holes for all three and they came back to assist Western Towers with installation. There are photos somewhere of the dedication and I believe we had coverage with the San Angelo Standard-Times.

"We had donations of about four sailboats from Sunfish and Lasers to Flying Scot and one Hobie 16. We also maintained two trailer with six aluminum canoes with one Sears 14’ Aluminum and a 10HP outboard as rescue boat. There were eight aluminum 12’ rowboats."

The camp is located at 7722 Country Club Road, San Angelo, TX on Lake Nasworthy.

Image taken from Google Maps