Girl Scout Little House

The Girl Scout "Little House" today

The Girl Scout “Little House” is nestled among the trees in Franklin Park and has been providing meeting space for Girl Scout troops of Transylvania County for decades.

Girl Scouting in Transylvania County began in the 1920s under the supervision of Florence Lyle, Annette Patton, and Bertie Ballard. A few years later, Elizabeth Zachary replaced Annette Patton, and it was Zachary who began fundraising for a scout building. Completion of the project was a long time in the works, however.

Early in its formation, sponsorship of Girl Scouts in Transylvania County was taken on by the Wednesday Club, a women’s club that met (and continues to meet) regularly to exchange ideas, listen to speakers, and engage in charitable efforts in the community. The drive to fundraise for the construction of a meeting house unfortunately hit a slump when the Wednesday Club discontinued sponsorship in the 1930s. The Girl Scouts continued on in Transylvania County without sponsorship due to the sole efforts of leader Rebecca Macfie.

In 1940 the Girl Scout Executive Council was formed, and with the reorganization, a significant amount of fundraising toward construction of a meeting house was accomplished. War years put the construction on hiatus, and it wasn’t until 1948 that the dream finally came to fruition.

The Girl Scout Little House held an open house on October 24, 1948, boasting a large recreation room, kitchen, bath, and storage rooms. The fireplace is original to the design and was a functional part of the heating of the building from the onset.

Girl Scout troops continue to share use of the building, which is on property owned by the City of Brevard, as they engage in activities to promote their growth, leadership, and service to their community.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.