Tillicum Lodge - "By the Numbers"

Tillicum Lodge ran thirty-one members through their Ordeal Ceremony in its first year, 1948. In 1949 and 1950, twenty and thirty-one more, respectively. There were no Brotherhood members until 1951, when six members went through the ceremony. Twenty-one new Ordeal members joined our lodge in that year. At the end of 1951, when Tillicum Lodge sent in its charter for the next year, ten members were already inactive. 

On April 23-25, 1954, the Lodge hosted its first Puget Sound Show Conference, later to be called a Section Conclave. Millersylvania State Park in Olympia was the site of this event. A patch was issued with a leaping salmon on it. The Lodge most likely used this event as a springboard to boost its membership. Several Lodge patches were issued around this time including its first flap and first neckerchief patch.

In the early 1960's, Tillicum Lodge was going through a difficult time. It is believed that Tillicum hosted the 1960 Conclave at Camp Thunderbird. In December of 1963, Tillicum Lodge only chartered sixty members for 1964. Although twenty-nine new members were inducted that year, and five members received their Brotherhood, the total number of active lodge members had dipped to twenty six at one point.

The following year, the remaining lodge members got very active in doing unit elections and hounded inactive members to catch up on paying their dues. For the 1965 charter, 140 active members were posted. On April 7-9, 1967, Tillicum hosted the Section Conclave at the Mayfield Lake Youth Camp in Mossyrock. The theme was “Friendship through Brotherhood” and the cost for the weekend was only $4.50. A metal, arrowhead slide was issued. We also hosted the December 14, 1968 Section Annual Section Training Conference at the Tyee Motor Inn in Tumwater.

1975 was the next time Tillicum hosted the Section Conclave. This time it was at Camp Thunderbird and had the theme of Allogagan “He Who Serves.” A silkscreened neckerchief was issued. Tillicum Lodge received the "National Honor Lodge" distinction in 1977, 1978 and 1979

The Lodge really stepped up its program in the early 1980’s with some strong Lodge Chiefs and officers. The Lodge hosted the April 24-26, 1981 Conclave held at Camp Thunderbird. A patch, neckerchief and mug were issued.

1983 was a big year for Tillicum Lodge, it was the first point that over two hundred active, dues-paying members were registered (the actual number was 244!). That was an increase of sixty-two members from the previous year. The Lodge received the “National Honor Lodge” distinction in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1989. We received the "National Standard Lodge" distinction in 1984.

Tillicum and Kcum Kum Lodge #285 shared Conclave hosting duties in 1986 at Camp Thunderbird. The theme was “Weld Tightly Every Link” and a patch, neckerchief, mug and pin were issued. By December 1987, we had 82 Ordeal Members, 57 Brotherhood Members and 22 Vigil Members. During the year of 1987, there were 37 new Ordeal Members. We had a total of 161 members reported in the December 1987 charter. In 1989, our lodge sent a contingent to the W1-A Conclave held near Vancouver, WA. And ran a successful Indian storytelling workshop.

Onto the 90’s, the last decade of the 20^th century. 1990 was the “75^th Anniversary of the Order of the Arrow” and one of our biggest years for new members joining the lodge. Fifty-three new members went through their ordeal ceremony during this year. This was probably the largest number of new members in one year! We reported in October 1990 a 30% jump in summer camp growth.

1991 was our “Year of Service” and we met that challenge by having the largest spring ordeal in Lodge history. The Lodge picked their theme for 1992 and it was “A New Beginning.” There were thirty-seven new members inducted at the spring 1992 Ordeal. We were the Section Conclave Service Lodge April 24-26, 1992, at Camp Thunderbird; the last time we would host a Conclave. The theme was “Seek the Inner Fire” and a patch, mug and four mug prototypes were issued.

1992 -1994, the final two years of our lodge, showed signs of decreasing membership. Arrowmen did continue to attend our ordeals though, providing much needed service to Camp Thunderbird.

The lodge held its final event, a Winter Fellowship, November 5-7, 1993, at Camp Thunderbird. Since Tumwater’s actions in regards to the merger were considered hostile by the National Office, our new Lodge Staff Adviser, Steve Rummage, had little sympathy towards our officers during the Lodge merger process. Sent by the new council office in Tacoma, Rummage descended upon our Lodge Executive Board Meeting and ordered that our lodge flaps and inventory be immediately liquidated. At the Winter Fellowship, we were forced to sell the remaining flaps in our inventory and liquidate all of our Elangomat flaps.

When the lodge chartered in December of 1993 (for 1994), we had 101 Ordeal members, 52 Brotherhood members and 20 Vigil members for a total of 173 arrowmen in our lodge. We had 56 new Ordeal members, 11 new Brotherhood members and 9 new Vigil members inducted in 1993. The lodge had a positive membership growth in 1993. Total council long-term campers went up from 550 in 10/92 to 663 in 12/93. Finally, in 1993, twenty-five camp staff members were arrowmen.

Late into the night on April 1994, Kcum Kum Lodge #285, Tahoma Lodge #348 and Tillicum Lodge #392, officially merged into Nisqually Lodge #155. From the ashes, a Raven arose and our new Lodge, Nisqually #155, was born. Tillicum Lodge was now history, but the memories will never be forgotten.