ABOUT THE BUILDING
The Philadelphia Boy Scouts Council was organized in 1910 and an office opened on Arch Street, moving later to the Old U.S. Supreme Court Building in Independence Hall group at 5th and chestnut Street. In 1917 when the City decided to restore the historic building to its original state, Scout headquarters moved to 925 Walnut Street. In 1916 Dr. Charles D. Hart, then president of the council, said that he foresaw a necessity of having "a house of our own." In 1920 his vision began to appear a possibility. The executive board gave him authority to raise a building fund, looking forward to the erection of the present Scout Building.
Ground was broken in the fall of 1929 and the Cornerstone laid February 15, 1930. In October 1930, it became the scout Service Center and on December 8th it was formally dedicated with Walter W. Head, president of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America ad the principal speaker. Charles Z. Klauder was the architect. He has designed buildings at Princeton university, the University of Pittsburgh Tower of learning and many buildings in Philadelphia, as well as in other parts of the country. Ground for its construction was made available through the city government and the park commission. The lot upon which it is built is 110' x 177'. The building itself is 70' x 116'. It is built of Indiana limestone in Italian Renaissance style.
symbolism is noted on both the exterior and interior of the building with various scout symbols appearing under the eaves on all four sides of the building and the City of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania seals located inside the lobby.
In 1993, through the two million dollar gift of Mr. & Mrs. Harry G. Kuch, the building was restored to its original purpose of "a home around which will center all scout life and knit the bonds of Scout comradeship even closer"
THE R. TAIT McKENZIE STATUE OF "THE BOY SCOUT"
The life-sized statue which stands sentinel at the front of this building is the creation of R. Tait McKenzie, noted sculptor physian, soldier, educator, writer and athlete,(1867-1938). Dr. McKenzie first modeled the statue in 1915 here in Philadelphia. "The Boy Scout" has indeed become a symbol of all that Scouting represents. Over the years the statue has grown in popularity. Nearly one hundred life-sized replicas have been produced and are now permanent monuments at Scout resource center, Scout reservations and in other locations her and abroad. Copies of the statue in 18 inch and 9 inch models are produces and used as recognitions across the country. The monumnet here stands "not so much as a statue in bronze, but rather as a symbol of one of the greatest impulses for good put into practical operation by a band of devoted men that has ever come to American boyhood"..
