VIDEO: New Lenox Scout Cabin Honored as Official Historic Landmark

New Lenox Township resident Elmer Wilhelm earned his Eagle Scout honors in 1945 as a teenager, and now serves as a commitee member on the Rainbow Council and has been involved in scouting for 71 years, according to his wife, Matilda.

On Sunday, Wilhelm got to see the Scout Cabin become an official Will County Historic Landmark. Located on the campground, the cabin was honored Sunday.

For the village, it's the seventh official Will County Historic Landmark. . Pam Bloom, a local historian, was asked by the church to help with the its 175th anniversary year. 

"There are 67 Eagle Scouts in New Lenox right now, and that is a tremendous amount. This cabin will now be used again by the Boy Scouts," she said. "It will be used by all Boy Scouts."

The cabin was built by Arvid Swanson out of telegraph poles in 1927. Bloom got most of her information from Swanson's son, Richard, who passed away in December 2010. Besides Wilhelm, recent Eagle Scout John Kemp, 16, of New Lenox's Troop 44, was also in attendance.

Over the years, the cabin has seen nunerous improvements. Most recently, Charles Loverude earned his Eagle Scout honors by helping restore the cabin floor. He is currently serving in the Army in New York, but still found out about the landmark status.

"My dad told me they were working on it becoming one. I'm glad Will County made it a landmark," Loverude said in a Facebook message.

"We're always talking about the future and the growth of the community, but you have to remember the past," Mayor Tim Baldermann said. "To have another Will County landmark is something we need to embrace as a community."

Tom Ritter was a Cub Scout in Chicago with Troop 3426 for two years.