History of the National Jamboree

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History of the National Jamboree

Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement, created the idea of holding a large encampment of Scouts and leaders to celebrate Scouting in England. He called it a jamboree.

Since 1937, the Boy Scouts of America has held a national Scout jamboree for Scouts and leaders of Boy Scout councils throughout the United States. More than 600,000 Scouts and leaders have hiked the trails, paths, and roadways since the first jamboree was held at the base of the Washington Monument on the Mall in our nation's capital.

Since that time, 15 national Scout jamborees have been held. Three were held in the western United States at Irvine Ranch, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Farragut State Park in Idaho. Five have been held in Pennsylvania at Valley Forge and Moraine State Park. Beginning in 1981, Caroline County, Virginia, and Fort A. P. Hill have been the permanent site.

Year	Location	Attendance
1937	Washington, D.C.	27,232
1950	Valley Forge, Pennsylvania	47,163
1953	Irvine Ranch, California	45,501
1957	Valley Forge, Pennsylvania	50,100
1960	Colorado Springs, Colorado (golden jubilee)	53,378
1964	Valley Forge, Pennsylvania	52,000
1969	Farragut State Park, Idaho	35,000
*1973	Farragut State Park, Idaho, and Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania	64,000
1977	Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania	28,637
1981	Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia	29,765
1985	Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia (diamond jubilee)	32,615
1989	Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia	32,717
1993	Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia	34,449
1997	Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia	36,015
2001	Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia	40,002
TOTAL		621,744

* 1973 was the only year that two jamborees were held in the east and west.

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Last Update May 15, 2023