Order of the Arrow History

Order of the Arrow

History

This honor camping society was founded in 1915, but it was a while before local chapters appeared. In each of the four major councils that today make up Western Massachusetts Council, there was an OA Lodge.

The first, in Hampden Council, was Allogagan Lodge #83 (1936). Nonotuck Lodge (1944) in Holyoke Council changed its name to Apinakwi Pita (1950) as part of the Mt. Tom Council. Allogagan and Apinakwi Pita merged and became just Allogagan Lodge #83 (1962). Flap patches were not available until the 50s.

In the other former Councils, there was Penain Sew Netami Lodge #507 (1954) and Metacomet Lodge #556 which merged into Memsochet Lodge #507 (1969). Memsochet Lodge merged with Allogagan Lodge to become the Pocumtuc Lodge #83 (2009) The Pocumtuc Lodge carries the name of a local native tribal confederation which inhabited much of Western Massachusetts for hundreds of years prior to the 1700s.