Juliette Gordon Low was born 144 years ago on October 31 in Savannah, Georgia. She died on January 17, 1927 due to breast cancer at the age of 66 years. She had an active, interesting life. Her early years were during the privations of the Civil War. She died during the prosperity that followed World War I. Her impact as Founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA was far reaching and touched all of us who read The Golden Link.

We have explored some early phases of Juliette’s life. This month let’s explore another phase in Juliette’s life, after she founded Girl Scouts in 1912.

In the early 1920s Juliette Low decided the Girl Scouts in the South needed a camp where leaders could be trained and girls could camp. Once she had made that decision she set about establishing the camp with her customary eagerness and single mindedness. When she decided the location should be on Lookout Mountain, a well known and prominent land mark in Georgia, she began to involve others. First she wrote to Doris Hough to take a certain Girl Scout captain (leader) and check the general location Juliette had chosen. She expressed complete confidence that these two would find an ideal place.

The place found by the two women included a natural basin formed by a stream which could be a swimming pool. There was also a magnificent picturesque hill side with jagged rocks on all sides. Then Juliette came to inspect the location. It met with her approval.

other ideas and said so. His opinion didn’t matter to Juliette. In customary fashion she said it was to be the rocks, and there was no further discussion.

The deed to the land was in Juliette Low’s name so it needed her signature. When she arrived to sign the papers she came with a suitcase, a Pekinese dog, a crate of fruit, four boxes, and an umbrella! Arriving at the local notary’s the women discovered their benefactor had sent the deed – but without the required ‘seal.’ Mr Ledbetter was on top of the mountain ‘working on the road’ and insisted he was too busy to come down. After ascertaining he did indeed have the required seal with him on top of the mountain Juliette found room for the notary and her friend and began the journey to the top of the mountain in her wheezy car. (Remember, cars were not as reliable then as they are now.)

Just short of the top, the road was blocked by a huge road building machine. The donor’s voice could be heard calling from the top of the cliff asking if they could just come on up to the top. Juliette was determined to get the deed properly sealed

so she replied that she could get there, but the dog could not. However, after much struggling, the entire party, including the dog, achieved the summit where Mr. Ledbetter calmly waited for them. The deed received its seal and the property was officially transferred to Juliette Low on top of the mountain.

It had been previously arranged that the party would spend the night in a cottage on Mr. Ledbetter’s property. Upon arriving there Juliette announced they would go over the camp immediately. Mr. Ledbetter said his car wouldn’t be fixed and ready for that trip until morning. Juliette serenely decided to walk and started on her way. She had not gone very far when Mr. Ledbetter relented and got his car ready to go.

Juliette was determined to build the camp buildings and locate tent sites without cutting down any of the beautiful trees on the site. Camp Juliette Low was planned to be a training camp for leaders. It was determined that girls were also needed in camp, which was Juliette’s preference all along.

After the camp was established Juliette was able to visit three more times. She was an enthusiastic camper, participating in all activities. When she was in camp, the camp fire program was always stories by “Miss Daisy.” The ghost stories she had learned in a Scottish castle were used effectively at a camp fire in Georgia.