Ay Ashe Lodge 73 was a local chapter of the Order of the Arrow (OA), the national honor society of Scouting America, based in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. 

Key historical milestones for the lodge include:

• Early Participation (1930s): Ay Ashe Lodge was active by the mid-1930s. It is historically notable for attending a Fellowship Conference hosted by Owasippe Lodge on October 24–25, 1936.

• National Impact: This 1936 meeting was one of the first multi-lodge events in OA history. When National Chief Joseph Brinton read about it, he used it as a model to promote the concept of multi-lodge gatherings nationwide through the National Bulletin.

• Racial Integration Milestone: The same 1936 conference attended by Ay Ashe Lodge was the site where Emerson James became the first known African American to receive the Vigil Honor, the highest level of membership in the Order of the Arrow.

• Organizational Context: During this era, the Order of the Arrow was rapidly expanding and transitioning from an experimental program to a fully integrated part of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), a process finalized nationally in 1948. 

Manitowoc Council formed in 1919, which later became the Waumegasako Council and merged into the larger Bay-Lakes Council in 1973, preserving local history like Camp Kiwanis and fostering unique programs like the Billy Schultz Circus, all leading to the current Bay-Lakes Council structure. 

Early Years & Local Identity (1919-1939)

• Formation: The Manitowoc Council was established in 1919, focusing on local scouting efforts.

• Camp Kiwanis: The Kiwanis Club built Camp Kiwanis in 1923 on city land for winter camping, featuring a log cabin for troop use, though it was later moved to Lincoln Park due to vandalism.

• Unique Programs: Billy Schultz started the famous Billy Schultz Indoor Circus in the 1920s and 30s, using school gyms and offering free training, becoming a unique part of Manitowoc's Scouting heritage. 

Evolution & Mergers (1940s-1970s)

• Name Changes: The council changed its name from Manitowoc County Council (1929) to the Waumegasako Council (1940).

• Regional Consolidation: In 1973, the Waumegasako Council merged with several others (including Fond du Lac's Badger Council) to form the Bay-Lakes Council, a large organization covering many counties in Northeast Wisconsin. 

Manitowoc Council primarily used the following camps for its scouting activities: 

• Camp Sinawa

  Located at Pigeon Lake near Valders, Wisconsin, this served as the council's official summer camp for decades. Founded in the early 1920s, it hosted thousands of scouts for multi-week summer programs until it eventually transitioned into a privately run camp.

• Camp Kiwanis

  This was the council’s winter camp, originally located on city-owned property just west of the Little Manitowoc River. In late 1932, the log cabin building was moved to Lincoln Park in Manitowoc to protect it from damage. It was used by individual troops for weekend overnight camping from fall through spring.

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