A SHORT HISTORY OF THE NEBAGAMON LODGE 312

In 1944, Boulder Dam Area Council received a charter from the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Comprising parts of northwest Arizona, southwest Utah, southern Nevada, and the eastern Mojave Desert of California, the new council was headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

One year later, on July 13, 1945, a charter from the National Lodge of the Order of the Arrow was granted to Sinawava Lodge 312. The origin of the name Sinawava is from the Temple of Sinawava in Utah's Zion National Park, where the first ceremony of the new Lodge took place. Sinawava means "Coyote", in Southern Paiute, and the coyote was chosen as the Totem of the new Lodge.

In January 1950, Sinawava 312 was disbanded by the National Office because it allowed its National dues to lapse with the National Council. The Lodge was placed on the inactive list by National Secretary, Norman C. Wood. There are no known insignia from Sinawava Lodge.

On June 8, 1955, the Lodge was rechartered with the new name, Nebagamon, and the same number, 312. The new Totem was "Fire on the Water". In 1957, the Lodge was again disbanded. On September 8, 1962, the Lodge was again rechartered as Nebagamon 312.

The name Nebagamon is an Americanized version of the Chippewa word "nebagomain", which means "Hunting Deer on the Water with Fire". This refers to the Chippewa method of hunting deer by mesmerizing them with a floating raft with a fire on it. The name was suggested by George Vaughn, whose hometown was Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin.

Although not certain, local Lodge legend has it that Fire on the Water was chosen as the Totem because the first above-ground nuclear tests were being conducted at this time (mid-50s), and people would go to Lake Mead to watch them. The explosion would reflect off the water, looking like there was a "fire on the water".

Nebagamon Lodge Chiefs (and their Advisers)

2010 Kyle Hampton (Randy Heimark)
2008/9 Riley Harms (Randy Heimark)
2007 Scott Forsyth (Randy Heimark)
2005/6 Steven Heimark (Randy Heimark)
2004 Tim Karlsen (Mitch Hostmeyer)
2003 Adam Millard (Mitch Hostmeyer)
2002 Adam Millard (Chip Brad)t
2001 Matt Voegele (Chip Bradt)
2000 Chris Lilley (Chip Brad)t
1999 Ben Karlsen, JR. (Chip Bradt)
1998 Brien Pelkey (Dan Lord)
1997 David Gregory (James Arriola)
1995/6 Brady Dehn (James Arriola)
1994 Romy Brasher (Gary Johnson)
1993 Nate Morris (Bob Johnston)
1991/2 Jerry Page (Bob Johnston)
1990 Sean Passmore (Tim Gittus)
1989 Scott Beckett (Jack Hess)
1987/8 James Arriola (Jack Hess)
1987 Eddie Hensen (Jack Hess)
1986 John Thornton (Jack Hess)
1985 Robert Neal (Dave Haag)
1984 David DiSalvo (Dave Haag)
1983 William Gumbinger (Jerry Magnuson)
1982 Marlan Coe (Jerry Magnuson)
1981 Chris Ellis (Jerry Magnuson)
1980 Bruce Parshall (Jerry Magnuson)
1979 Richard Gray (Les Read)
1978 William Nutley (Les Read)
1977 Ken Beach (Les Read)
1976 Richard Vireday (Ken Hody)
1975 Joe Graveg (Ken Hody)
1974 Tom Hody (Ken Hody)
1973 Ron Kennedy (Bert Linares)
1972 Ray Devine (Bert Linares)
1971 Rick Linares (Bert Linares)
1970 Ken Farmer (Dave Plummer)
1969 Bill Helmstetter (Dave Plummer)
1968 Jim Mudd (Dave Plummer)
1967 Dave Newark (Howard Clark, Jr.)
1966 Bill Lowman (Howard Clark, Jr.)
1965 Mickey Razy (Zel Lowman)
1964 Kim Jenkins (Zel Lowman)
1963 Kenyon Moss (Zel Lowman)
1962 Kenyon Moss (Bill Middleton)
1957 Pat Tarr
1956 James Moss, Jr.
1955 Jeff Blake
1945/6 Warren Shelton