What is Boy Scout Troop 17 in St. Louis?

Updated

Boy Scout Troop 17 is a Scouts BSA troop based in St. Louis, Missouri, and troop17.org is its official website. The site describes the troop as "the blue chip of scout troops," emphasizing long-standing history and traditions, and it also covers Cub Scout Pack 17 plus separate Scouts BSA troops for boys and girls. Use the site to learn what the troop stands for, when and where it meets, and how to join.

What the troop is known for

According to the site, Troop 17's identity rests on:

  • Esprit de corps and discipline — a strong sense of group spirit and order
  • Uniforms and marching — formal presentation is part of the culture
  • Outdoor skills and high standards — camping and scoutcraft held to exacting expectations
  • Older boys and pup tents — a troop shaped around older scouts and traditional lightweight camping
  • A rousing troop song — singing is part of the troop's tradition

The site sums this up as history and traditions "almost as old as Scouting itself."

Who sponsors it and when it meets

Troop 17 is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Clayton-Ladue. Meetings are held every Wednesday at 6:30 pm sharp at:

Salem United Methodist Church 1200 S. Lindbergh Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63131

The "sharp" start time is worth noting if you plan to visit — arrive before 6:30.

Cub Scouts and girls in Scouting

The site covers more than the boys' troop:

  • Cub Scout Pack 17 is for girls and boys in grades K–5 (or ages 5–10) and meets at the same church. The site describes the program through activities like archery and building a wooden race car, and says Cub Scouts promotes personal responsibility, self-confidence, social skills, respect, and honesty.
  • Scouts BSA Troop 17 for Girls is listed alongside the boys' troop, so the site addresses both programs.

The Seventeener hat

One distinctive item on the site is the Seventeener, a campaign-hat press developed in the 1950s to keep scout hats "straight and sharp." The troop has sold them to fellow scouts, the military, and the National Park Service. The site states that 100% of proceeds support troop operations and a "scoutership" (scholarship) program, and that the presses are assembled by the scouts themselves from USA-made materials.

How to get involved

The site's call to action is straightforward: "Join pack or troop 17 now!" If you are considering it, the practical next step is to attend a Wednesday meeting at Salem United Methodist Church — Cub Pack 17 for younger children, Troop 17 for scouts BSA age — and speak with leaders there. The site does not publish fees, registration steps, or contact details beyond the meeting information, so plan to ask those questions in person.