Girl Scouts of Colorado History
In 1917, Wagon Wheel Council in Colorado Springs was established beginning the nearly 100-year journey of Girl Scouting in Colorado. Mile Hi, Columbine, Chipeta and Mountain Prairie Councils formed in all corners of the state, eventually combining in 2007 to form Girl Scouts of Colorado, a statewide council that serves 24,000 girls and 10,000 adult volunteers annually.
1919 – Colorado Springs Council of Girl Scouts chartered; Camp Vigil costs $4/week
1928 – 14th National Girl Scout Convention held at Broadmoor, presided by Lou Henry Hoover
1930 –Girl Scouting begins in Grand Junction and Montrose
1932 – Girl Scouts of Denver chartered
1935 – Pueblo Council of Girl Scouts chartered
1936 – Hot cross bun sale nets $480 in Denver
1938 – First African-American troop formed in Colorado Springs
1941 – Wing Scout Troop forms in Pueblo, the 2nd in the United States
1945 – Girl Scouts of Estes Park chartered
1947 – Lodge opens at Lazy Acres; Twisted Pine and Flying G acquired
1951 – Sky High Ranch acquired
1952 – Tomahawk Ranch acquired; Mountain Prairie Council formed from Northern Colorado Local Councils
1954 – Hamp Hut opened
1956 – Columbine Council formed from Southern Colorado Local Councils
1957 – Mountain Prairie Girl Scout attends the very first session at Our Cabana in Mexico
1959 – 10,000 Senior Scouts from 26 countries attend National Senior Roundup in Colorado Springs; Denver Council becomes Mile Hi Council
1960 – Meadow Mountain Ranch acquired
1962 – Chipeta Girl Scout Council formed from Western Slope Local Councils; Colorado Springs Council becomes Wagon Wheel
1967 – First Special Needs Troops formed at Fletcher Miller School in Golden and at Fort Logan; Mountain Prairie Girl Scout attends the very first session at Sangam in India
1970 – Magic Sky Ranch acquired
1978 – National Girl Scout Convention held in Denver; Bilingual membership materials available
1979 – Aurelia Anderson (Longmont) and Chula Morel-Seytoux (Fort Collins) received Juliette Low World Friendship medal
1980 – Denver Girl Scout Troop participates in Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Lake Placid
1981 – Wagon Wheel Council gives first Colorado Gold Award
1986 – Girl Scout membership is $4/year
1989 – Reach for the Peak outdoor skills competition starts at Sky High Ranch
1996 – 6,400 Girl Scouts attend Sing a Mile-Hi at Red Rocks
1997 – 1st Colorado Women of Distinction event held in Denver
2002 – Hayman Fire destroys 30% of Flying G
2002-2007 – Campaign for Magic Sky Ranch
2005 – Senior Girl Scout Anna Ellis is named a National Young Woman of Distinction
2007 – Girl Scouts of Colorado formed from realignment of five local councils
2014 – Major changes for GSCO properties: The corporate offices move to their current location on Colorado Blvd. and the Broadway building is sold; Kiwa Corral is declared a total loss after flooding and Magic Sky Ranch goes up for sale
2016 – GSCO celebrates 100 years of our council with a centennial kick-off celebration at the site of the first Colorado Girl Scout Round-up, and with the unveiling of the S'mores Club