William D. Boyce, the Unknown Scout and the Birth of the BSA
The short answer: William D. Boyce, a Chicago publisher, founded the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910. The story goes that a year earlier he was lost in London, a Scout helped him find his way and refused a tip, and Boyce never forgot it.
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Timeline The Unknown Scout The Founding Why It Still Matters About Boyce FAQ
How Scouting Came to America
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1907–1908 | Baden-Powell holds the Brownsea Island camp and publishes Scouting for Boys in Britain. |
| 1909 | William D. Boyce meets the Unknown Scout in London. |
| February 8, 1910 | Boyce incorporates the Boy Scouts of America. |
| 1915 | Boyce starts the Lone Scouts of America for boys in rural areas. |
| 1924 | The Lone Scouts merge into the Boy Scouts of America. |
| 1926 | The Unknown Scout is honored with the Silver Buffalo Award. |
| 2025 | The Boy Scouts of America becomes Scouting America. |
The Legend of the Unknown Scout
1909 A lost traveler in London
The Boy Scouts of America was founded on February 8, 1910, but its origins can be traced back a little earlier, to a fateful day in London. Scouts and historians will debate how much fog, if any, there was that day, and what was or was not said. This is what is known.
William Boyce was traveling through London on his way to British East Africa when he lost his way and a Scout came to his aid. When Boyce offered the boy a tip, he refused, explaining that he was just doing his daily Good Turn. This simple act has been immortalized as the legend of the Unknown Scout.
1910 The founding of the BSA
The exchange must have left a strong impression on the businessman. Numerous sources record that the Scout told Boyce where to find Scout headquarters, and that Boyce went there and picked up the manual and literature he later used as a guide.
A few months later, on February 8, 1910, Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America. Others, including Ernest Thompson Seton, Daniel Carter Beard and James E. West, built the young organization into a national movement.
Why the Story Still Matters
This story is inspiring for several reasons.
- A simple act of kindness can have a lasting effect. Boyce surely never forgot the Scout who so willingly and selflessly helped him that day.
- Inspiration can strike at the least expected times. Boyce was not at a business conference or dining with a wealthy dignitary when he had the meeting that changed the course of his life. He was lost, standing in the street, unsure where to go next, until he spoke to a Scout.
- One person can change the world by seeing an idea through. Boyce studied Baden-Powell’s Scouting movement, made a conscious decision to start the BSA, and the organization he started has served well over 100 million young people.
Are you involved in Scouting? Think about a Good Turn of your own that had effects far beyond what you expected.
Who Was William D. Boyce?
William Dickson Boyce was born in Pennsylvania in 1858 and made his fortune as a newspaper publisher in Chicago. He was also an explorer, which is what took him through London in 1909.
After founding the Boy Scouts of America, Boyce started the Lone Scouts of America in 1915 for boys on farms and in small towns who had no Troop nearby. The Lone Scouts merged into the BSA in 1924. Boyce died in 1929 and is buried in Ottawa, Illinois.
The Unknown Scout was never identified. In 1926 the Boy Scouts of America honored him with its Silver Buffalo Award, and a bronze buffalo statue stands at Gilwell Park in England in his memory.
BSA Founding Questions
Who founded the Boy Scouts of America?
William D. Boyce, a Chicago publisher, incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910.
Who was the Unknown Scout?
A British Scout who helped William D. Boyce find his way in London in 1909 and refused a tip, saying he was doing his daily Good Turn. His name was never recorded.
When was the Boy Scouts of America founded?
February 8, 1910. The organization became Scouting America in 2025.
Was there really fog in London that day?
Nobody knows for sure. The fog is part of the legend, and historians still debate the details.
Who started Scouting?
Robert Baden-Powell started the Scouting movement in Britain in 1907 and 1908. William D. Boyce brought it to the United States in 1910.
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