Filed Under Seeley Lake

Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp

Seeley Lake is one link in a chain of five lakes nestled between the lofty Swan and Mission mountain ranges in western Montana. Two hundred acres of ancient larch trees surround the area, which has drawn visitors since the early 1900s. In 1924, the USDA Forest Service granted a permit to the Western Montana Council of Boy Scouts to construct a summer camp. The facility was originally a tent camp but by the late 1930s there was need for a more permanent facility. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), New Deal programs vital to the nation’s economic recovery during the depressed 1930s, provided funds and manpower to construct the present camp. The rustic log buildings were constructed in 1939-1940 under the direction of Forest Service engineer Clyde Fickes. It is the only CCC-constructed youth camp in Montana. Designed to fit the natural landscape, the twenty buildings of saddle-notched native larch demonstrate excellent craftsmanship, remarkable since CCC workers were primarily “city boys” trained on the job. Several interior fireplaces of uncut native stone likewise reveal extraordinary masonry skills. Because of its public ownership and support, Camp Paxson has long provided recreational opportunities to diverse youth organizations. In 1995, the Missoula Children’s Theatre secured a special use permit from the Lolo National Forest to manage Camp Paxson. Named for Montana artist Edgar S. Paxson, the facility now serves as a center for drama training and retreats, children’s music camp, disadvantaged youth and other youth groups, family reunions, and community organizations.

Images

Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of the Building No. 1, Main Lodge, facing southwest. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front to side view of Building No. 2, Cabin, view from the west. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 17, Caretaker's Cabin, view from the south. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 3, Cabin, view from the west. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building NO. 4, Leader's Cabin, view from the north. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 5, Cabin, view from the east. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front to side view of Building No. 7, Cabin, view from the north. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 6, Cabin, view from the east. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front to side view of Building No. 8, Cabin, view from the north. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 9, Leader's Cabin, view from the northeast. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 10, Cabin, view from the east. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 11, Cabin, view from the east. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 12, Cabin, view from the north. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front to side view of Building No. 13, Cabin, view from the northeast. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 14, Leader's Cabin, view from the east. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 15, Cabin, view from the southeast. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 16, Cabin, view from the south. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front to side view of Building No. 20, Women's Bath House, view from the east. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front to side view of Building No. 19, Men's Bath House, view from the north. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Building No. 18, Well House, view from the east. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Kirby Matthew Date: May 1985
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of the Caretaker cabin, view to the west. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Julian Boughton Date: May 2023
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. East elevation of the Main Lodge, view to the west. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Julian Boughton Date: May 2023
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of the Men's Restroom, view to the southeast. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Julian Boughton Date: May 2023
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Cabin 11, view to the south. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Julian Boughton Date: May 2023
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Front view of Cabin 2, view to the east. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Julian Boughton Date: May 2023
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp
Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp. Cabin cluster, view to the west. Source: Montana State Historic Preservation Office Creator: Julian Boughton Date: May 2023

Location

Boy Scout Road, Seeley Lake, Montana | Public

Metadata

The Montana National Register Sign Program, “Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp,” Historic Montana, accessed March 28, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/1669.