Staff photo / J.T. Whitehouse Handling the official unveiling of the new Ohio Historical Marker for Camp Stambaugh are, from left, Paul Johnson; Life Scout Christopher Altiere from Troop 9025 in Canfield; Dave Deibel; Great Trail Council Scout Executive / CEO Patrick Scherer; and retired Youngstown State University professor Rick Shale.

CANFIELD TOWNSHIP — Camp Stambaugh claimed its place in history as an Ohio Historical Marker was dedicated at the Boy Scout campsite’s entrance Thursday afternoon.

Camp Stambaugh, located at 3712 Leffingwell Road, is the second Ohio Boy Scout Camp to receive a marker, with the first being Camp Oyo near Columbus. It also is tied for the ninth oldest camp in the nation. Last year, the camp celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Scouting began in England and was the idea of Lt. Gen. Lord Robert Baden-Powell in 1908. It spread to the United States in 1910. In the Mahoning Valley, Scouting was established in 1912 and seven years later, Camp Stambaugh was established thanks to a gift from local industrialist Harry H. Stambaugh. In his will, Stambaugh named his business partner Thomas J. Thompson as trustee of his 86.5 acre farm along Indian Creek. It was expected of Thompson to convey the property to the local Scouting organization.

When the camp was first established, it was mostly cleared farm land with the creek running through it. Today, the camp is diverse in all types of plant life and a good variety of wildlife, giving Scouts a chance to learn about nature as well as what it means to be a Scout.

The emcee for the marker event was Mike Kupec, who served as project coordinator. He said the Ohio Marker project was completed in part with an Ohio Historical Connection Grant, and donations from Altiere’s Home and Garden, Altiere’s CBS Topsoil, Chris Altiere, Larry and Terri Andrews, Brian and Sue Bishop, Cassandra Calderone, John Grim, Neil Hammers, Jason and Lisa Henry, Kurt Hilderbrand, Dr. Timothy Kneen, Douglas M. Kupec, Michael and Laura Kupec, Dennis Mansfield, Bill Moss, Dr. Jason Parker, donations in honor of James B. Parker IV and Gary Yankowski, and The Edward M. Barr Foundation.

Kupec also expressed thanks to English professor Rick Shale of Youngstown State University for putting together the historic data and references for the application as well as the final text for the marker.

On hand for the unveiling of the marker was state Sen. Michael Rulli, R-Salem, who was a Scout and attended the camp as a youth.

“I could never have been where I am today were it not for Camp Stambaugh,” Rulli said.

Rulli presented Kupec with a Ohio Senate proclamation honoring the camp. Kupec also read a proclamation from Gov. Mike DeWine, who recognized the importance the camp.

Following the unveiling of the marker, those present witnessed a time capsule of Scout memorabilia being buried at the west side of the museum. The capsule is due to be unveiled at the Camp Stambaugh’s 150th anniversary in 2069.