Scouting in Rhode Island has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. Early history (1910-1950) Rhode Island Boy Scouts The Rhode Island Boy Scouts (RIBS), formerly American Boy Scouts of Rhode Island , was a Scouting organization in the United States from 1910 until its merger with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in 1917. RIBS still exists as a trustee organization. Boy Scouts of America In 1910 the First Providence Troop was organized in Washington Park. On October 24, 1910, the troop was formally recognized by Scout headquarters. Troop meetings were held at the Broad Street School. The first Scoutmaster was Herbert R. Dean, a retired Army general. The first charter listed sixty-four boys. Four BSA councils were formed in the state. The first council, Providence Council (#546), was organized in 1916 based in Providence. The second was Pawtucket Council (#548) in 1917 and ended in 1920. From 1918 to 1924, Newport Council (#547) existed. In 1924, Woonsocket Council (#549) formed a council. In 1917, Rhode Island Boy Scouts merged with Providence Council to form the Greater Providence Area Council (#546) and recognized its existence back to 1910. In 1922, Pawtucket Council was reorganized into Pawtucket & Central Falls Council (#548). In 1924, Newport Council became Newport County Council (#547). In 1926, the Greater Providence Area Council was created from the merger of Greater Providence Council and Newport County Council. In the years 1929 and 1930, the three Rhode Island councils merged into Narragansett Council. The present Narragansett Council was formed as the result of a 2001 merger between the Moby Dick Council and the Narragansett Council. Narragansett Council Narragansett Council is based in East Providence, Rhode Island, but has 3 service areas that serve communities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut: Southeast Service Area- New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, Acushnet, Wareham, Fall River, Assonet, Freetown, Somerset, Westport, Swansea, Seekonk, Rehoboth, Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton, Little Compton, East Providence, Bristol, Warren, Barrington Southwest Service Area- Coventry, West Warwick, East Greenwich, West Greenwich, Exeter, Frenchtown, Warwick, Block Island, Narragansett, Wakefield, Westerly, Misquamicut, Bradford, Ashaway, Matunuck, Pawcatuck, Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkinton, Hope Valley, Peacedale, South Kingstown, Kingston, West Kingston, Davisville, North Kingstown, Quidnessett, Wickford, Jamestown Northwest Service Area- Burrillville, Scituate, Foster, Glocester, Johnston, Smithfield, North Providence, Providence, Cranston, Woonsocket, Blackstone, Bellingham, North Smithfield,