The History of the Order of the Arrow in Vermont

Calvin Coolidge Council and Nicaweeggee

 

     Chartered in Bellows Falls in 1953 under Calvin Coolidge Council 747, Nicaweeggee Lodge 493 was active from 1953 until its merger in 1965.  The Lodge’s totem was a black bear and during its active years, Nicaweeggee met at Camp Plymouth in Ludlow, VT. In 1965, Nicaweeggee merged with Memphremagog Lodge 398 to form Nianque Lodge 398 under Ethan Allen Council (593).

 

     While Memphremagog issued the fewest number of emblems (two flaps and one pocket patch – two versions) Nicaweeggee only issued three flaps and one neckerchief.  All three Nicaweeggee flaps and the neckerchief feature the same basic design of the silhouette of a left facing black bear underneath a long arrow.  The Nicaweeggee neckerchief is unique as it is the only silk screened Lodge neckerchief to be produced until the 1990 Ajapeu Elangomat neckerchief.  In addition to the neckerchief, an extremely rare Nicaweeggee neckerchief slide exists in an unknown, very limited quantity.  The slide is a black plastic left facing bear with red “493” in the center of the slide.  

 

     In 1963, Nicaweeggee hosted the Area 1B Conference held at Camp Plymouth.  Though a conference issue patch, Nicaweeggee most likely designed the patch for issue as the foreground prominently features a left facing black bear along a lake with green mountains in the background.  

 

      Unique to Nicaweeggee lodge are multiple well made “fakes” that commonly appear within the collector market.  Some of these issues are better quality than others but most are well made and a few even exhibit twill patterns consistent with emblems produced in the 1960’s.  At least four different fake emblems are documented and are shown below.  While one or two of these issues may have been created unofficially as opposed to being a “fake”, little is known about these fake issues or the quantity produced.  Nonetheless, they are a unique and interesting part of Vermont Order of the Arrow history.