The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital as we know it today was formed in 1963 and encompassed five area councils that were in existence at that time, but actually troops were formed in 1914 in the greated DC area and a charter was granted to the Girl Scout of the District of Columbia in 1917 , for Girl Scout troops in the District of Columbia and Maryland and Virginia counties with 25 miles of the District borders! As Girl Scouting grew so did local governance.. (A Timeline)
The five councils that were merged to form the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital :
National Capital Girl Scout Council: In 1924, this council was incorporated under the corporate laws of the State of Virginia as the Girl Scouts of the District of Columbia. The name later changed to the National Capital Girl Scout Council.
Girl Scout Council of Southern Maryland: In 1935, Prince George's Country, MD, became a separate council receiving an official charter as Girl Scouts of Prince George's County. In 1957, troops from St. Mary's County, MD, were included with Prince George's County and the name was changed to Girl Scout Council of Southern Maryland.
Alexandria Girl Scout Council: In 1938, the City of Alexandria, VA, established the Alexandria Council.
Arlington Girl Scout Council: In 1938, there was chartered the Arlington County area (it also included troops in adjoining cities of Falls Church and Fairfax and Fairfax County)
Northern Virginia Girl Scout Council: In 1946, the Fairfax County Council of Girl Scouts was formed from lone troops in Fairfax County, VA. In 1958, Fairfax County Council of Girl Scouts expanded to include the City of Falls Church, VA, and the Quantico Marine Corps base schools. At that time, the council was renamed the Northern Virginia Girl Scout Council.
Girl Scouts living and meeting in Frederick County, Maryland joined with GSCNC in 2006. Previously the troops had been affiliated with the former Penn-Laurel Girl Scout Council, which merged with five Pennsylvania councils to become Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania.
In October 2009 Shawnee Girl Scout Council serving Girls in Allegany and Washington Counties in Maryland; Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren Counties in Virginia; and Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral and Morgan Counties in West Virginia merged with GSCNC.
The 1963 merger that built the core of GSCNC and the 2009 merger of the former Shawnee GS Council were very carefully crafted with full consideration given to all the councils and lone troops that were to merge. Prior to the mergers, there were a year-long studies made by a groups composed of both GSUSA and the local councils. Under consideration was the real need of delivering the required services to girls so that all the girls could benefit from a strong and diverse program.
The recommendation to replace the existing five councils and the lone troops in the Washington metropolitan area with one council was arrived at largely from the fact that a larger, united council affords unified direction and consequently greater flexibility in managing the total pool of talents, facilities and funds available to Girl Scouting in the area. These findings were well supported by documents of the study.
The first meeting for the actual merger was on Friday, March 2, 1962. A committee of 15 was formed. There were to be two voting members from each of the five councils that were merging and one alternate for each council. The alternates attended meetings but only voted if there was someone from their council not in attendance. During these meetings, the by-laws and all other aspects of the new council were agreed.
In 2004, the national organization began a series of mergers and realignment of the Girl Scout Councils throughout the nation.
In 2006 the Girl Scout organization in Frederick County, Maryland join GSCNC. The troops had previously belonged to the Penn-Laural Girl Scout Council.
In 2009 Shawnee Girl Scout Council members voted to merge with GSCNC. This merger added Allegany and Washington Counties in Maryland; Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren Counties in Virginia; and Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral and Morgan Counties in West Virginia and their Camp White Rock to make the council go from the Chesapeake Bay to the Appalachian Mountains..
History and Archives Committee
Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital
