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History :: 1940s

1943
The pristine beauty of the High Cascades at Oregon Trail Council's Camp Luckey Boy was an ideal setting for a group of honor campers and staff to band together forming the nucleus of Oregon's first Order of the Arrow Lodge. On January 24, 1944, the Oregon Trail's Council Executive Board approved the petition presented by this group. Four Scouter's, already OA members, and Jud Compton, Professional, inducted 27 Ordeal members (March 23, 1944). An election was held and Jim Vitus was elected Chief of the new Lodge. TSISQAN, the Umpqua Indian word for deer was chosen for the lodge name and the running deer became its totem.

1944
May 6, 1944, a Lodge to serve Cascade Area Council was formed. Its name, chosen from the Lenni-Lenape which means "Snow Mountain Lodge" for Mt. Jefferson, COLE SNASS LAMATAI. Seventy one campers and staff of Camp Pioneer were inducted and elected Harry Wiedmier as their chief. A decision to select the bear as their totem was enthusiastically endorsed.

1948-49
The MAZAMA Lodge held its first ordeal in the summer of 1948 at Camp McLoughlin on the shores of the Lake of the Woods near Mt. McLoughlin. In the following year in August, 1949, they were granted their charter with 42 members, electing as Lodge Chief, George Goodman. The Council Executive, Cliff Hanson, of Crater Lake Council helped organize MAZAMA Lodge. Cliff presently holds the position of Lay Advisor. MAZAMA, named after the mountain that erupted and created Crater Lake, is the namesake of the Council. The Thunderbird was chosen as Lodge totem as it has been a legendary, mythical inhabitant of Crater Lake.
Also in 1948 a group of dedicated Scouter’s started a Lodge in the Modoc Area Council. MAKUALLA meaning "the time and place of testing" was chosen as its name and the Thunderbird became its totem. Chartered in 1950.

Next: 1950s