From Thunderbird Tracks: Early History of the Will Rogers Council,
Boy Scouts of America
by Ray R. Matoy. Copyright by Prairie Imprints, Stillwater, OK.
In the early years, most councils served only a city and went by the name of that city-- Ardmore, Enid, Stillwater. There were a few “county councils”-Pontotoc, Noble-Kay. In 1923 there were only two councils in Region Nine with poetical names--Cimarron Valley and Buffalo Trail. As “area councils” were organized, river names became popular-- Canadian Valley at Shawnee, Red River at Ardmore, Washita Valley at Clinton. Names of Indian tribes also were popular--Cherokee at Bartlesville, Choctaw at McAlester, Osage at Pawhuska.
When the Cimarron Valley and North Oklahoma Councils merged, it was necessary to select a name for the new council. Dean Hoye, Newkirk, was named chairman of the committee to select the council name, and Cubs and Scouts of the newly combined area were asked to participate.
On December 2, 1947, the committee met at the Scout office in Ponca City. Dr. Albert E. Iverson, a Lutheran minister employed by the Boy Scouts of America as director of Protestant relationships, also attended. Chairman Hoy and the committee reviewed the many names that had been submitted by boys and leaders, such as Pawnee Bill, White Eagle, 101 Ranch, Jim Thorp, North Central Oklahoma, Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, Kaw, 89’er, Cherokee Strip, Cowboy.
When the name Will Rogers was suggested, an advisor to the committee mentioned that the Tulsa Area Council was considering a change of their name: Rogers was born at Oolagah and claimed Claremore as his home.
Dr. Iverson pointed out that most Americans and the whole world thought of Will Rogers as a native of Oklahoma, and did not even know that Oolagah was in the Tulsa area. He further stated that Will Rogers was a national hero of such popularity that some council was certain to want to adopt his name, and he stressed that a Will Rogers Council should properly be located in Oklahoma.
Inasmuch as the Tulsa Area Council had not yet changed their name, the committee decided to include Will Rogers among the names on the secret ballot. When the ballots were counted, it was a unanimous vote to honor Oklahoma’s native son, the beloved cowboy, Indian, actor, writer, and philosopher.
Joe Creager, Ponca City, contacted Will Rogers Jr. for permission to name the new council. Will Rogers had worked with the Wild West Show at Mulhall and participated in the dedication ceremony of the Pioneer Woman Statue [in Ponca City]. He knew the council area well and had many close friends in this part of Oklahoma. He once remarked that “the only thing wrong with the Boy Scouts is that there ain’t enough of them.”
In 1948, the only councils in Region Nine that were named for a person were the Black Beaver Council at Chickasha and the Sam Houston Area Council at Houston. Kit Carson and Quanah Parker were also once used as council names. In 1957 the Tulsa Area Council merged with the Creek Nation Council to form the Indian Nations Council.
