BSA Troop 1776 - Neshanic, NJ
57 Years, 175 Eagles
Troop 1776 was first chartered in 1967 with only five scouts and two adult leaders. The Neshanic Reformed Church offered to be the troop's chartering organization, donating a building on a weekly basis to hold meetings in. The Church continues to immeasurably support Troop 1776 to this day. The founding scout leaders were Scoutmaster George M. Gardner and Committee Chairperson Harold DeHart.
Our unit identification number holds a very special significance to our organization, being intrinsically linked to the freedom and independence of America. Several of our annual troop activities are historic in nature and connect scouts to the exciting history of our nation. Our chartering organization, the Neshanic Reformed Church, dates back to colonial times as well. To honor the number 1776, our troop maintains a Colonial Militia Unit; an organization that wears traditional colonial militia attire. The attire is comprised of a woven linen frock and pants, felt tri-fold hats, and leather boots. The unit carries replica revolutionary era black power muskets and performs at special events including the annual Neshanic Station Memorial Day Parade where the black powder muskets are fired in salute to fallen soldiers.