Rotary Club of Los Gatos
Service Above Self
Boy Scouts Troop 501
Boy Scouts of America
Troop 501, Los Gatos
Chartered 1918
Sponsored by The Rotary Club of Los Gatos Since 1924
Boy Scout Troop 501 is the oldest troop of continuous operation in Santa Clara County. Troop 501 was originally Troop 2, chartered by the National Council of Boy Scouts of America, in April 1918. There was a Troop that existed in Santa Clara County as early as 1915 when Troop 1 in Los Gatos was chartered by the National Council. Troop 1 lasted only a few years and lost its charter. When the Santa Clara County Council of Boy Scouts was chartered by the National Council in 1924, Troop 2 came under its jurisdiction.
In 1959 the Council renamed the districts. Los Gatos was in Redwood District, with units in the 500 series. Troop 2 was assigned the number 501.
The first sponsors of the Troop were a group of individuals; the meeting place was the carriage house on the Lyndon Farwell property.
The Rotary Club of Los Gatos has sponsored the Troop since 1924. Their first building, The Boy Scout Hut, was built by the Rotary Club in 1948. It was located off Wood Road on land leased from Mr. Farwell by the club (address 55 Broadway). In 1968 the property was sold in order to construct a retirement center called the Los Gatos Meadows. The San Jose Water Works gave the Troop permission to relocate the Scout Hut on their property behind the Los Gatos High School where it remains today.
The building was enlarged several times with volunteer Rotarian labor. In 1978 the building was renamed Eagle Lodge.
Tom Gleason, a former Committee Chairman, believes that, If anyone were to look at the roster of Troop 501 from 1918 to present, they would be impressed by the service Troop 501 has been to the community. The same surnames will appear at different times; first as Leaders, then a few years later as Scouts, then a few years later as Leaders again. It is rewarding to see how Troop 501 has served from generation to generation, and the part they have played in molding the character of our future leaders.