Narraticong Lodge #9
Thomas A. Edison Council
Published in 1996 to honor the
Lodge's 75th
Anniversary.
Narraticong Lodge #9 has a history filled with tradition and its origin can be traced back to the very early days of the Order of the Arrow. Our Lodge traces its roots to both Sakawawing Lodge #287 of Middlesex Council and Cowaw Lodge #9 of Raritan Council. Today's Narraticong Lodge #9 was formed as the result of a merger between Raritan and Middlesex Councils in 1969. The Cowaw and Sakawawin Lodges consolidated in that year to produce a Lodge that boosted a membership of over 900 Arrowmen. The Lodge's name, Narraticong, comes from a small subtribe of the Lenni Lenape Indians that made their home near the Raritan River in Central New Jersey.
For the Lodge Totem, the Mosquito has been fittingly chosen as there is no better symbol of camping in the State of New Jersey. Lodge #9 celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 1971 by hosting the Area 2-C Conference at Thomas A. Edison Scout Camps (formally Sakawawin Scout Reservation). Narraticong also hosted the 1979, 1987, and 1995 Section NE4B Conclave at Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation (formerly Thomas A. Edison Scout Camps) and was named Service Lodge for the 1983 National Conference held at Rutgers University New Brunswick, NJ.
The two predecessor lodges, Cowaw #9 and Sakawawin #287 have distinguished histories of their own. Cowaw became the 9th Lodge chartered in the United States, on August 10, 1921. Its totem was a Pine Tree and the name meant 'in the Pines', taken from the Lenni lenape word 'Kume'. Cowaw was the name of a camp at Ten Mile River Scout Camp used by Raritan Council, that is now run by the Greater New York Council. Dr. Fritz Albeg of Troop 6 in Perth Amboy introduced the Wmuchtendienk Society, (as the O/A was then known), to the camp back in 1920. He became the Lodge's first Vigil Honor member.
Middlesex Council originally chartered as Kit-Chee-Ke-Ma Lodge #287 on March 15, 1945. The Lodge was affiliated with the council camp that was located near Blairstown, New Jersey. This Lodge disbanded in 1947. The Council purchased a parcel of land in Branchville, New Jersey that was to become Sakawawin Scout Reservation (now Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation) in 1948. The Lodge was rechartered in 1950 as Sakawawin Lodge #287, and its totem was a Beaver.
Sakawawin derived its name from the legendary Indian Chief who roamed the area of our original Blairstown Camp located on Cedar Lake. Lodge #287 hosted the 1966 Area 2-C Conference, which Carrol A. Edson, co-founder of of the Order of the Arrow reportedly attended. Narraticong Lodge #9 is looking forward to continuing its mission of CHEERFULNESS, BROTHERHOOD and SERVICE beyond the celebration of its 75th Anniversary in 1996 and looks forward to its 100th Anniversary in 2021.