These 50 States: North Carolina
Posted in Baton Rouge Louisianna, Indianpolis Indiana,
and Columbus is the capital of O-hi-o.
There’s Montgomery Alabama,
south of Helena Montana
then there’s Denver Colorado,
under Boise Idaho…
— Wakko Warner
Several years ago at a Pre-NOAC TOR I saw an exhibit that caught my attention. The exhibitor was constructing a map of the United States with patches shaped like each of the 50 states. While he could not complete the map, he was able to show most of the states in cloth. In a similar vein, I’ve been trying to see how close I could come to making a list of the states, as portrayed on OA patches. Rather than waiting until I have a complete list, I’m going to post these one state at a time as an ongoing series. First up is my current home state: North Carolina.
At least three lodges have issued patches roughly shaped like North Carolina: Wahissa 118, Tsali 134, and Klahican 331.
Tsali issued the first North Carolina shaped patches with two jackets patches: J1 (1983) and J2 (1985). The countries that comprise this lodges territory are outlined in black in the far western end of the state. The J2 was also issued for the BSA’s 75th anniversary. Both patches are rare, seldom traded or sold.
Nearly 20 years later, Klahican was next with their 2002 NOAC flaps. Blue Book lists these as S49 and S50. Strictly speaking these flaps are not shaped like North Carolina. Klahican superimposed the outline of North Carolina over a standard shaped flap. The counties that comprise this lodge’s territory are outlined in white in the southeastern corner of the state.
Three patches came from Wahissa lodge for the 2006 NOAC, all in the shape of North Carolina. There is some disagreement over how these should be listed. I have chosen to tentatively label these as X14? through X16?. I have also had emails suggesting the X15? and X16? shouldn’t be listed at all as they are “souvenirs”, a position I don’t completely understand. I will ultimately follow whatever the North Carolina Blue Book editor decides.
Have I missed any others?
The rest of Wakko Warner’s tune can be seen here. I have to marvel at the lyricist who was able to write this.
[...] This is the second of an ongoing series about state shaped Order of the Arrow patches. Previously I covered issues from North Carolina. [...]
Actually, the line is under Boise, Idaho.
John:
Aal-Pa-Tah 237 has several patches shaped like the state of Florida: four from the 1960s, two from the 50th anniversary in 1992 (with and without loop), a jacket patch, and a chenille.
Robert Mathis
John,
I can’t think of one for NY, but I seem to remember one from Lodge #60 out of Texas.
John,
Occoneechee’s 2004 NOAC CSP (X-26 & X-29). It’s not State shaped, but it does have North Carolina on the CSP.
Greg
[...] This is the second of an ongoing series about state shaped Order of the Arrow patches. Previously I covered issues from North Carolina. [...]