Order of the Arrow

This major section covers the Order of the Arrow and its history in the Southwest areas of Southern California, Southern Nevada, and Arizona.

The Order of the Arrow became an Official part of the Boy Scouts of America program on January 1, 1935, and this helped jumpstart the formation of the first Order of the Arrow Lodges in the West.

Canaliño Lodge # 90 formed in 1936, becoming the first Order of the Arrow Lodge in California. Locally, Navajo Lodge # 98 and Tahquitz Lodge # 127 followed in 1937 and 1938.

By 1945, it was realized that intra-Lodge conferences would be beneficial for all nascent Lodges, which was the impetus for the first Area U Conference, held at Camp Drake. Since that year, intra-Lodge conferences or Conclaves have been held every year.

The BSA reorganized into 12 Regions, with the historic area of this site part of Region 12. Within the Region, Area 12-A was the local area these Lodges were a part of. In 1956, Area 12-A was split, with Los Angeles/Ventura/Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo/Kern/Inyo Counties becoming Area 12-E. Around the same time, Southern Nevada and Arizona would become Area 12-F.

In 1973, with another BSA reorganization, the Western Region of the Order of the Arrow was formed. The Region 12 Areas would become part of Western Region, Area 4, the named inspiration for this website. Within Area 4, Sections W4A, W4B, and W4C, were formed.