Enos Keithley

Arrowhead display
in Main Lodge
In late 1939 and early 1940 Enos Keithley was one of the men involved in looking for a permanent home for summer camping, the result of which was Camp Lowden. Ken Merwin recalls the following:

Mr. Keithley was an elderly Scouter from Dixon and a frequent storyteller at campfires. He was active in the Order of the Arrow and noted for making decorative powder horns from bovine horns. Mr. Keithley made two horns that went along with an original legend, and were filled with ashes from the last campfire for Ted Kjellstrom and me when we retired from the camp staff in 1956.

Mr. Keithley also served on the Order of the Arrow lodge executive committee and was one of the first three Brotherhood members of the lodge. His daughter Retta Jean recalls that he told Paul Bunyan stories and also made his own American Indian costume which he later donated to Sauk Valley Community College.

He was interested in arrowheads and also made neckerchief slides. For many years there has been a display of arrowheads in the main lodge, compiled and collected by Mr. Keithley and Howard Gill.

In 1939 the Order of the Arrow lodge totem was selected by Mr. Keithley from his collection of neckerchief slides. The totem consisted of a hammered copper arrowhead suspended around the neck with a leather thong. He received the Vigil Honor in 1946 and the Silver Beaver Award in 1947.

Mr. Keithley passed away in 1970.