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The O.A. Neckerchiefs of Westchester CountyWimachtendienk WW started early inWestchester County, New York, beginningin 1923, the society’s eighth year. That iswhen Chappegat became WWW’s fifteenthlodge located in New Rochelle. Inthe following twenty years four otherlodges from within the county locatedbetween the Hudson River to the west andLong Island Sound to the east would applyfor charter.ORANGEH udso nROCKLANDRiverMANHATTANWESTCHESTERNEWYonkersJERSEYNew RochelleMount VernonNewarkBROOKLYNBRONXQUEENSPUTNUMOssiningWhitePlainsNew York CityNASSAUCONNECTICUTBridgeportLong Island SoundSUFFOLKFigure 1 – Map of Westchester County,New York.Those lodges were, KitchawonkLodge 32 (later Tahawus ) of Yonkers(1927), Hanigus Lodge 47 of Mt. Vernon(1930), Wiccopee Lodge 86 of Ossining(1936), and Wakoda Lodge 246 of WhitePlains (1943) (see map – Fig. 1). By 1973after a complex series of mergers and formationsof new lodges all five originallodges within the county would combineinto one brotherhood,Ktemaque Lodge 15.(Fig. 2)To the knowledgeableOA name andnumber collectors theselodges of WestchesterCounty are legendary.Many late night badgetradingsessions have been spentdiscussing these lodges and their insignia.It is where the Wakoda A1 felt is from andfive different badges from Hanigus 47, twoof them felt composition and two activityfelts (Fig. 3). It is also the home of theA photo essay on Neckerchiefsby Bill Topkis & Jeff MorleyLodge 15 Chappegat(1923–1957)Lodge 47 Hanigus(1930–1957)Lodge 32 Kitchawonk(1927–1942)Lodge 32 Tahawus(1942–1955)Lodge 86 Wiccopee(1936–1951)Lodge 246 Wakoda(1943–1951)Lodge 246 Apachedotte(1951–1955)Tahawus neckerchief, the only issueof that now extinct lodge. Itis this neckerchief departmentthat the county has no peer.Where and when the first OAneckerchief was issued we do notknow. The earliest known neckerchiefsare three issued byAnicus Lodge 67 of Wilkinsburgh,Pennslyvania in 1940.These neckerchiefs were issued tocommemorate the 25 th anniversaryof the Order of the Arrow andtheir hosting of the 25 th anniversaryNational Meeting at CampTwin Echo (Fig 4 & 5). No doubtthe contingent of 20 from“Many silk-screened and direct embroideredneckerchiefs, perhaps as many as two thirds,were issued specifically as contingent items”Chappegat Lodge (the seventh largest contingentof the 64 lodges that sentrepresentatives) took notice.In the following year, 1941,Chappegat Lodge issued a pair of extremelyprimitive full square neckerchiefs.Lodge 15 Mide(1957–1973)Lodge 246 Horicon(1955–1973)Figure 3 – Early lodge patches fromWestchester County, New York.Lodge 15 Ktemaque(1973–present)Figure 2 – Diagram of lodge mergers in Westchester County. Ktemaque Lodgecontinues the heritage of nine superceeded lodges.Their first neckerchief(and first official lodgeissue) was on orangecotton with blackblock printing (Fig. 6).It is listed in The BlueBook as N1. Theirother neckerchief issuedthat year was for hosting the 1941Area “E” conference (among the oldestsectional conclave items) (Fig. 7). It is alsoorange cotton with black block printing.Block printing along with stencilingis among the earliest and most crude meth-Journal of The American Scouting Historical Society9