In 1928, Henry Murphy sold 135 acres of this land to the George Rogers Clark Boy Scout Council. In the summer of 1928 the council held its first Boy Scout summer camp at Tunnel Mill, which lasted eight weeks and cost six dollars per week. Prior to the start of camp, a dining hall, handicraft lodge, swimming dock, swinging bridge, trading post, canteen, and teepees were constructed. The original program consisted of archery, nature, crafts, swimming, and work on merit badges.
The dock was a wooden structure constructed about 300 feet down-stream from the cemetery. The boys practiced rescue techniques, and played water polo. The dock also had a train bell mounted on it in case of emergency. The Scouts believed fire safety was very important. The scouts held fire drills once a week and always had a small fire accompany the drill, since scouts could never sound the fire alarm unless there was an actual fire. According to oral tradition, during a fire drill on July 22, 1928, the wind blew some cinders to the top of the dining hall burning it down, although a newspaper article states the cause of the blaze as unknown.
One of the unique experiences at Tunnel Mill was running across the swinging bridge. The bridge was located just upstream from the swimming dock. Sadly during a flash flood in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s the creek took the swinging bridge.
The Pioneer campsite, located near the Work/Faris cemetery, was under construction in 1933. Originally there were 5 buildings; the sixth was added in the 1970’s. The buildings were constructed as they would have been by early settlers to the area.
The Scoutmaster building was built in 1941. It served as sleeping quarters for the Scoutmasters while their boys slept on the flats.
Baylor Health Lodge was built in 1949. The funds for the project were donated by H. D. Baylor, President of the George Rogers Clark Council in the 1930’s and 1940’s.
The Quanzut Hut is a large storage area, which was brought to the camp sometime before 1950 from the Army Ammunition plant after World War II.
Reitz-Preistley is a large sleeping area built in 1955. It was named for two prominent early scouters. Jouett Reitz, owner of Reitz Furniture Company in New Albany, and Guy Priestly, a board member of the George Rogers Clark Council.
The current swimming pool was built in 1968. It was built because the creek had many silt deposits and was too shallow for swimming. The shower house at the pool was renovated in early 2000.
The old administration building was built in 1961. When the dam cracked in 1976, many thought the eroding soil would destroy this building, but it is still standing. When the new dam was built it was named for a prominent ranger at Tunnel Mill, Papa Moats and Mr. Holz, an active scouter.
The new dining hall was completed in 1982. It was built above Hiltop campsite. The building was originally a restaurant in Jeffersonville before coming to Tunnel Mill. In February 2000 the dining hall was razed to build a new one.
The new administration building, with donations in the name of Arthur Coleman, was completed in 1985. Inside this fascinating building one can see a model of the Tunnel Mill Scout Reservation and scouting memorabilia.