Campfire Circles

“Once you get the dust of Horseshoe in your moccasins, you can never get it out.”

HSRAA
A Proud Benefactor to HSR Since 2000.

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Campfire Circles

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< Horseshoe Outdoor Facilities

“It’s easier to throw sticks on the campfire than to try to restart it when it goes out.”
–Cynthia Lewis

Exhibit Details

The Friday / Saturday night campfire has long been a tradition at Camp Horseshoe. The campfire opens with the ceremonial Indian Pageant performed by Octoraro Lodge members and is followed by the presentation of awards recognizing the week’s achievements of the Scouts.

Displays in this Exhibit:

Tour Stop

Achgeketum Circle

Totem Pole Circle

Achgeketum Rehabilitation

Videos

Achgeketum Circle

Display Details

Achgeketum Circle was constructed in 1988 to replace the old Campfire Circle used for the first 60 years of Camp Horseshoe. It was named after G. Ernest Heegard, whose Vigil Honor name is “Achgeketum”, Lenni-Lenape for “Teacher”.

Totem Pole Circle

Display Details

In 1929 a new Council Fire Ring was built in the shape of a Horseshoe with three fire pyres lighted for the campfire programs. Each week, the Scouts would gather here for the telling of the Horseshoe Legend. This Fire Circle was used until 1988. After 59 years of use for the Order of the Arrow’s weekly Pageants, we had outgrown the site and it was difficult to maintain control over the hundreds of Scout families who would journey to our Camp to picnic and enjoy the popular Ceremony and recognition of the Campers. Ackgeketum Fire Circle was built in 1988 to replace the Horseshoe Campfire Circle (aka Totem Pole Circle).

Achgeketum Rehabilitation

Display Details

This gallery displays reconstruction activities related to the Achgeketum Campfire Circle rehabilitation project of 2020. The funds for this project were raised during the 2019 Chester County Council Gala honoring G. Ernest Heegard, including a sizeable contribution from HSRAA.

Here is a model rendering of how the Achgeketum rehabilitation project will look after reconstruction.

Part of the Achgeketum rehabilitation project includes the use of boulders to line parts of the seating areas.

The boulders are delivered to the Achgeketum Circle.

The Scout side of Achgeketum Circle has its benches removed in preparation of new ones.

Here you can see the Scout side of Achgeketum Circle without its benches.

Some of the boulders delivered are installed during the first week of the Achgeketum Circle rehabilitation project.

The Scout side of the Achgeketum Circle had its bench posts installed.

The Boat Docks Road as it passes Achgeketum circle got some grading done as part of the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project.

Before things can look amazing, things have to look a little messy. Here we see Achgeketum Circle in the middle of its rehabilitation.

Despite all the mess, things are starting to look very bright for the Achgeketum Circle.

The Scout benches are being assembled during the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project.

The benches are all put together during the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project.

Here are the benches freshly installed during the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project.

Here is a wide shot of the Scout benches being assembled during the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project.

The hillside that will be used for auxiliary audience is cleared here before it is leveled and cemented.

Here is a view of the benches from the Scout side of the Achgeketum Fire Circle.

Here is the entrance of the Achgeketum Fire Circle during the rehabilitation project.

Here is a lovely wide shot of Achgeketum Circle with lights being turned on.

With a generator, the benches are lit up with the new lighting system for the Achgeketum Fire Circle. This is a small part of the overall Achgeketum Rehabilitation Project.

With a generator, the benches are lit up with the new lighting system for the Achgeketum Fire Circle.

Stone for the utilities installation portion of the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project is delivered to Camp Horseshoe.

A trench is cut into the ground for laying utilities for Achgeketum Circle.

Water pipe is laid for Achgeketum Circle as part of the rehabilitation project.

Here workers are installing the water pump during the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project.

During the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project, a water pump was installed at the fire circle.

An upper deck for the disability accessibility and others who want to put down their chairs is constructed during the Achgeketum Rehabilitation project.

Videos

Display Details

Here are some videos of the Achgeketum Fire Circle from its inception in 1988 to the present.

Achgeketum Walkway
Ordeal candidates and Octoraro 22 members build water bars for the Achgeketum main walkway during the April 2017 service weekend.
2017 – Contributed by Andrew Coe

Campfire Circle
The Campfire Circle in 1943.
1943 – Contributed by Tom McCabe

“Building Achgeketum”
Here is a “drawing video” of Achgeketum Circle as it looked shortly after its dedication in 1988. Fun fact: exactly 1,988 images were used to create this video.
2021 – Contributed by Andrew Coe

New Achgeketum Walkthrough
Come take a tour of the new Achgeketum Circle, filmed in July 2021.
2021 – Contributed by Andrew Coe

Achgeketum Fire Circle Aerial Video
This amazing drone video captures the beauty of the newly renovated Achgeketum Fire Circle at Camp Horseshoe.
2022 – Contributed by James Sweed

Tour Stops

Octoraro Loop Tour

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Last updated December 12, 2025