Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation is Founded
Mortimer L. Schiff was a member of the Council Executive Board and involved in the purchase of the camp property.
He then later served as President of the Boy Scouts of America. The original Schiff Scout Reservation in Mendham N.J. was named in Mortimer L. Schiff's honor and served as the National Training Center of the Boy Scouts of America until the National Council moved to Texas.
At the 22nd annual meeting, the National Council adopted the 10-year program of growth-a plan to enroll one of every four 12-year-old boys and keep them in Scouting for 4 years. To stimulate this effort, President Hoover presented awards to Scout units, councils, and regions reaching a specific standard for the year. Mrs. Jacob H. Schiff presented the Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation at Mendham, N. J., in memory of her son.
The Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation, located in central New Jersey, was a major Boy Scout training facility for almost 50 years. It was named after Mortimer L. Schiff, the father of John M. Schiff; both of whom were World Scout Committee members and notable early Boy Scouts of America (BSA) leaders.
The original reservation comprised 400 acres (1.6 km2) near Mendham, New Jersey and was in operation from 1932-1979. It was formally dedicated on October 18, 1933. The land was purchased for the BSA by Mrs. Jacob Schiff in memory of her son, Mortimer, who died while President of the BSA in 1931. During this time it served as the BSA's National Training Center, the Ellsworth H. Augustus International Scout House, and hosted the first Wood Badge courses held in the United States.
After the National Council moved its headquarters in 1979 from New Brunswick, New Jersey to Irving, Texas, the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico became the new home of the National Training Center.
When the Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation was closed, Nassau County Council's Camp Wauwepex in Wading River, New York was renamed as the John M. Schiff Scout Reservation, in honor of Moritmer's son, John.
