The Order of the Arrow, originally known as Wimachtendienk W.W. was founded in the summer of 1915 on Treasure Island, the camp of the Philadelphia Council by E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson. The OA is the national Boy Scout honor society. The purpose of the OA is to recognize honor campers in Boy Scout Troops and to promote Scout camping and to support the efforts of the Scout council to which it is chartered. There are three levels of membership in the order. They are Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil Honor. The Order of the Arrow has provided countless hours of service to the camps and to councils it serves. It had truly shown itself to be the brotherhood of cheerful service.
Local Lodge History - The Heritage and Origins of Lowwapaneu Lodge
Acahela Lodge 223 was founded on July 27, 1942 in the Wyoming Valley Council. Acahela means "at the joining of the waters," and is the name of the camp that the lodge served. Its totem was the bear. Acahela hosted the Area 3D Pow Wow in 1954, 1963, and 1969.
The Quekolis Lodge 316 was chartered on August 6, 1945 to the Anthracite council. The Lodge name means whippoorwill, which was the lodge totem.
The Monsey Lodge 543 was officially chartered on Jan. 13, 1960. They did however hold a lodge ordeal prior to chartering. This ordeal was conducted in June 1959, at Goose Pond Scout Reservation. That ordeal was conducted by Unami Lodge 1. The name Monsey was chosen because it was the name of a local tribe. The lodge totem was a wolf. Monsey Lodge hosted the 1961 Area III-D Pow Wow.
The Kiminschi Lodge 542 was officially chartered on Feb. 3, 1960 to the Mid-Valley Council. Its lodge totem was the striped maple leaf.
Monsey Lodge 543 and Kiminschi Lodge 542 merged to form Amad'Ahi Lodge 542 in 1962. Amad'ahi means "Forest Waters." That name was chosen because of the council name, Forest Lakes Council. The Amad'ahi Lodge flap was pictured in the 1972 and 1979 editions of the Boy Scout Handbook. Its totem was two Indians in a canoe on a forest lake. Amad'ahi Lodge hosted the Area III-D Pow Wow in 1965 and 1970, and Section NE-5A Conclave in 1975 and 1984.
In 1969, Quekolis Lodge 316 and Acahela Lodge 223 merged to form Gischigan Lodge 223. Gischigan means "to be born." Its totem was a rattlesnake. Gischigan Lodge hosted the 1982 NE-5A conclave.
In 1985, Gischigan Lodge 223 changed its name to Acahela Lodge 223 after the Hazelton area broke away from the Penn Mountains Council and joined the Minsi Trails Council. Acahela hosted the NE-4A conclave in 1989.
Lowwapaneu Lodge 191 was first chartered in January of 1991 after the 1990 consolidation of the Penn Mountains Council (Wilkes-Barre) and Forest Lakes Council (Scranton). With the consolidation of both councils their Order of the Arrow lodges would also merge. In 1990 members of both Acahela Lodge 223 (Wilkes-Barre) and Amad'ahi Lodge 542 (Scranton) met together to formulate the name and bylaws for a new Order of the Arrow Lodge. The new lodge name "Lowwapaneu," was appropriately selected and contains the Lenape words for north and east. They represent the new Northeastern Pennsylvania Council that was formed. The original totem of Lowwapaneu Lodge 191 was a totem pole that depicted the totems of previous Order of the Arrow Lodges of Northeastern Pennsylvania. In 1996, the totem was changed to a fire and a four-colored circle of life.
Since 1991, Lowwapaneu Lodge has been active in serving the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council in various service projects. In 2002, Lowwapaneu Lodge was awarded the National Order of the Arrow Service Grant for its service project "The Order of the Arrow Teaches Citizenship." The following year 2003, Lowwapaneu Lodge received the prestigious Order of the Arrow National Service Award for its service in both a quantitative and qualitative sense to the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council. The award was presented to our Lodge at the National Meeting of the Boy Scouts of America in May 2003. Only two lodges from each region receive the award annually.
The lodge has also hosted four section conclaves:
- 1991 Section NE-4A Conclave , Theme: "A Gathering of Arrowman"
- 2000 Section NE-4A Conclave, Theme: "Many Arrows, One Path"
- 2004 Section NE-2B Conclave, Theme: "Lucky Seven"
- 2010 Section NE-5B Conclave, Theme: "Back to Our Future"
- 2021 Section NE-5 Conclave, Theme: "Backcountry Brotherhood"
Lowwapaneu Lodge 191 continues in its service and devotion to the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council. We take great pride in the service we give to Camp Acahela and Goose Pond Scout Reservation and ultimately to all the Scouts and Scouters of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council.
