Room Details
This room is dedicated the history of Camp Ware. This camp which sits across the Octoraro from Camp Horseshoe to the east. This Camp had its beginnings as the Explorer Base headed up by Ernie Heegard in the late 1950’s. Next it was known as Camp Jubilee and featured a different style of camping where Troop’s were responsible for their own meal preparation. In the mid-1980’s the Camp was renamed to Camp Ware in honor of John H. Ware 3rd. Today it serves as both the Council’s Cub Camp and hosts additional programs like the Special Needs Camporee.
From it’s early days as the Explorer Base, through the years as Camp Jubilee, Camp Ware has continued to provide the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of Chester County Council with a valuable outdoor experience.

In the late 1950’s, Council opened the Lewis property for use as an Explorer Base. Under the leadership of Ernie Heegard, this Camp served older Scouts as a base camp for backpacking, canoeing and even sailing above the Conowingo Dam.

In the early 1960’s, the Explorer Base was renamed Camp Jubilee. The camp featured a ‘Jambo’ style of camping for troops that wanted to experience outdoor skills under their own leadership rather than the more structured program across the creek at Camp Horseshoe.

1985 saw Camp Jubilee renamed to Camp John H. Ware 3rd in honor of the former Chester County Council president and member of the U. S. House of Representatives. Since that time, the Camp has continued to be the site of Scout Summer Camp and special events in addition to becoming the Council’s Cub Scout Camp.

Cub Town was a major addition to Camp John H. Ware 3rd in 2003 and a host of many thousands of Cub Scouts since it opened.

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© Horseshoe Scout Reservation Alumni Association 2025


