The
Forest County Potawatomi tribe closed Wednesday on the purchase a 300-acre former Boy Scouts campground in Summit for $6.5 million, according to state real estate records.
The land, previously the
Indian Mound Scout Reservation that closed in 2022, was owned by an affiliate of local Boy Scouts of America organization
Three Harbors Council.
Located just north of I-94 on Silver Lake's southern shore, the 292-acre wooded property, at 37516 Forest Drive, Summit, includes cabins, campsites, a picnic shelter, fire bowl and dining hall, according to the council's web site. The property also contains a verified Indian mound for which the camp was named.
The Indian Mound property is part of Potawatomi’s treaty homelands, according to a statement from Forest County Potawatomi.
“While our reservation today is in Forest County, the Potawatomi continue to have a strong connection to our treaty homelands in southeast Wisconsin. Places like Waukesha, Oconomowoc, and Muskego are all named after Potawatomi words, and all places our tribe considers home,” said James Crawford, Forest County Potawatomi chairman, in the statement. “We are excited about the opportunity to acquire this property and enhance our presence on our treaty homelands.”
Potawatomi does not have any plans for the property, the statement said.
“We look forward connecting with Village of Summit officials and the community to discuss any future plans for the property,” Crawford added in the statement.
Indian Mound Scout Reservation campground closed after last year's season and a 12-month review by Three Harbors Council of its two camps. The council still operates Camp Oh-Da-Ko-Ta, near Burlington.
Three Harbors Council sold the Indian Mound property to provide funds for individuals who were sexually abused while they were in the Boy Scouts of America. The Council has paid $3,685,000 to the Boy Scouts of America Settlement Trust for survivors of abuse in scouting, which was formed through BSA's Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, according to its website.
"In addition to the financial considerations of our contribution to the BSA Settlement Trust for survivors of abuse, the board’s committee reviewed multiple factors including camp usage, programs, facilities, and current and future scouting membership trends," the web site said.
Since 2021, three other Scout camps in Wisconsin, owned by other local councils in Wisconsin and Illinois, have been sold to support contributions to the BSA Settlement Trust. 13 BSA camps remain in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, according to the website.
"The decision to sell the camp was a necessary and important step as we support survivors of abuse in scouting," said Andrew Hardin, Three Harbors Council executive director, in a statement.
