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Thousands of years before the arrival of the first Europeans, the Caddo Indians and related tribes, the Hasinai, and the Natchitoches, lived in the woodlands of present day Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. They developed agricultural villages along rivers and became highly skilled in making pottery and bows which they used in trade with other tribes. They built mounds which were used as temple sites and also for burials. The Caddos were powerful but peaceful. They were known by other tribes as "teysha" meaning friend, or ally. It was the Spanish translation on the word, Tejas, that gave Texas its name, and from which we name our Lodge…Tejas.
In 1915, two Scouters sat around a campfire at Treasure Island Scout Camp, a camp located on an island in the Delaware River, pondering how to recognize those Scouts and Scouters who go above and beyond the call of duty to their troops, and to the camp. These Scouts would be those who best exemplified the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. The two men were directors of the camp, and the founders of our Order, Dr. E. Urner Goodman and Col. Carrol A. Edson. Around that campfire was born the movement we today call the Order of the
Arrow. The first ceremonies were steeped in secrecy and in the traditions of the Lenni Lenape, or Delaware Indians. Our Order became known as the Brotherhood of Scout Honor Campers. Today, the Order of the Arrow is officially recognized as Scouting's National Honor Society. The Order of the Arrow is not a distinction to be sought, a rank to be earned, or a privilege to be deserved, it is rather,
an honor to be relished.
In 1934, Tejas Lodge was chartered and L.S. Harkey was elected our first Chief. Since that time 61 other proud Arrowman have served the third oldest Lodge in the State of Texas. Tejas Lodge and her six Chapters, Caddo, Cherokee Trace, Naconiche, Okee Tuklo, Tall Timbers, and Three Rivers have provided over 400,000 manhours of service to East Texas Area Council. As we approached of our
70th Anniversary, we proudly remodeled one of the original GWP buildings (former Handicraft building) and given it the name "Founder's Lodge". This is in honor of the founders of our Order as well as those members of Tejas Lodge who have received the Founder's Award.
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