Troop 19 Patch with Penfield Foundation The Penfield Cabin circa 2006

History of Troop 19, The Troop 19 Cabin and The Penfield Foundation

Troop 19 received approval of its charter application to the Boy Scouts of America on November 13, 1925. The first charter organization was the Geneva Parent Teacher Association. The first scoutmaster was Frank Childs. He remained scoutmaster for many years.

Scouts cleaning monument for William H. Penfield circa 2006.
Scouts cleaning monument for William H. Penfield circa 2006.

Bertha Penfield Marchand acquired six lots on Fremont Street in the Geneva area on December 17, 1923 in a public sale of land by the Whatcom County Treasurer, Edith M. Thornton. She bequeathed them to the Troop's scoutmaster, Frank Childs, and its committee chair, J.E. Mitchell on June 16, 1927. The deed was recorded on February 23, 1928, under Whatcom County Auditor's File number 339237.

Ms. Marchand gave the land to Troop 19 to honor her father, William H. Penfield, a former scout, civil war veteran, and pony express rider. The scouts and scouters of Troop 19 built the log cabin on the property between 1928 and 1931 under the direction of Scoutmaster Frank Childs, who was a self-employed contractor.

A survey of the land was performed on April 21, 1980, Recording number 1355136.

In late 1983, a tree fell through the cabin roof during a winter storm. Scouts and parents of the troop restored the cabin to its pre-storm condition, including replacing the roof, restoring the porch, improving the fireplace and replacing light fixtures. Up until that point, the troop paid property taxes for the cabin and land.

In 1984, the property was transferred to the Mt. Baker Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, to maintain the property with a tax exemption.

In 1991, three court documents: 1. Finding of Fact and Conclusion of Law; 2. Order of Default; and 3. Judgement; were prepared by Bob Tull and subsequently reviewed and signed by Judge Moynihan on March 22, 1991 to assist in clearing the property title.

In 1995, the Mt. Baker Council (a merger of the Mt. Baker Area Council and the Evergreen Council) formed a Special Assigned Committee to evaluate the use of the Troop 19 cabin. The committee's recommendation was continued use by Troop 19 exclusively.

In 1999, the cabin and property use was again re-evaluated by the Mt. Baker Council.

In 2001, the Boy Scouts of America began selling off property used by individual troops, in some cases without the troop's knowledge.

On April 30, 2001, the alumni and scouters of Troop 19 held a special parent meeting to determine an approach to keeping the historic cabin and its land for use by future scouts. An incorporation committee was formed. Articles of Incorporation for The Penfield Foundation were signed on November 26, 2001, and filed with Washington Secretary of State Office on December 3, 2001.

The Penfield Foundation board held its organizational meeting on January 29, 2002, and approved by-laws.

On August 1, 2002, the Internal Revenue Service granted the Foundation's application for 501(c)(3) status.

On January 29, 2004, a quit-claim deed was signed transferring the cabin and property from the Mt. Baker Council, Boy Scouts of America to The Penfield Foundation for $10.

On March 18, 2005, the WA State Department of Revenue gave The Penfield Foundation a permanent property tax exemption.

On July 31, 2008, the Internal Revenue Service gave the foundation permanent 501(c)(3) status.

Revised 5-30-2017 0407.