Sinawa Lodge 73 was the Order of the Arrow (OA) lodge associated with the Manitowoc County Council in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Its history is rooted in the early honor societies of local Scout camps before it eventually merged into a larger regional lodge. 

Early Origins and "Tribe of Siniwa"

Before becoming an official OA lodge, the Manitowoc council utilized a pre-OA honor society known as the Tribe of Siniwa (alternatively spelled Sinawa) during the 1920s. 

• Camp Sinawa: The lodge takes its name from Camp Sinawa, situated on 280 acres near Pigeon Lake in Valders, Wisconsin. The camp was established in 1920 to provide outdoor recreation and education for local youth.

• Purpose: Like other early honor societies, it focused on recognizing scouts who exemplified leadership and camping skills. 

Charter as Sinawa Lodge 73 

Sinawa Lodge was officially chartered as Lodge 73 within the Order of the Arrow. 

• Legacy: Throughout its operation, the lodge supported Camp Sinawa through service projects, camp promotion, and summer camp staffing. 

Consolidation and Current Status

The lodge eventually ceased to exist as an independent entity due to the merger of Boy Scout councils.

• Merger: As the Manitowoc County Council merged with other nearby councils (such as the Badger Council) to form larger regional organizations like the Bay-Lakes Council, Sinawa Lodge 73 was merged into a new, larger lodge.

• Preservation: The history of the lodge and the camp is currently preserved by the Camp Sinawa Scouting Museum, which maintains archives and memorabilia from the Manitowoc scouting era.

The Waumegesako Council, which was headquartered in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, primarily used Camp Sinawa for its Boy Scout activities. 

Key details regarding the council's camps include:

• Camp Sinawa

  Located in Valders, Wisconsin, this camp served the council for several decades. Historical records indicate that as early as 1928, the camp was being used for multi-week summer sessions by Manitowoc Boy Scouts. While no longer an official council camp, it remains in operation today as a private facility available for youth groups and public use.

• Camp Rokilio

  Founded in 1924 and located near Kiel, Wisconsin, this camp was also utilized by the council. After the Waumegesako Council merged into the Bay-Lakes Council in 1973, Camp Rokilio eventually became a primary destination for Cub Scout summer programs. 

The Waumegesako Council was also associated with the Awase Lodge 61 of the Order of the Arrow before the 1973 merger that formed the current Bay-Lakes Council. 

Source = Google