Early Recreation and Girl Scout Troop
An excerpt from the book, Holden Beach History, by John F. Holden.

Very few families found their way to Holden Beach in the early 1920s for recreation. One lady recalls her first visit to this beach with her family when she was a teenage girl, and their visits in the following years.

She related the events of the first trip from Wilmington to what she called "Mr. Johnny Holden's Beach" the summer of 1921. The family left Wilmington early one morning with their 1920 Buick pulling a homemade trailer her father had built. The trailer was equipped with fold-out cots and a small cook stove.

The trip was not easy. Highway 17 as we know it today was then dirt with plenty of bog holes. Many of the holes required boards to be placed over them to permit passage. This family reached "Mr. Johnny's" home late that afternoon. It was about two miles from the beach. Granddaddy assisted this family in getting to the causeway, but they encountered many sandtraps. Arriving at the causeway just before dark, he informed them they would have to spend the night there.

Mr. Johnny assured them Henry Gray would come early the next morning with his ox and pull the trailer across the causeway and sand dunes to the beach. However, the car would have to be left on the mainland.

The ox-tow arrived early the next morning and pulled the trailer over on the beach to a location near the big fishery. That was the only building on the beach. The family spent two weeks there. This vacation trip was repeated each summer for five consecutive years.

Much of the family's time was spent shell hunting during the day. The father liked to fish in the surf and around the inlet area. All the family enjoyed helping Mr. Johnny's commercial fishermen pull the long nets in loaded with fish.

When they returned the fifth year, which was 1926, Mr. Johnny had built the Old Hotel. That was a treat. Refreshments and snacks could be purchased there. The most excitement was square dancing in the dining room during the weekends.

To the best of my knowledge, the family from Wilmington brought the first travel trailer to Holden Beach.

One gentleman told me of his family's renting the Old Hotel the last week of June one year in the late 1920s. He could remember standing on the upstairs front porch with his father early one morning and seeing two turtle trails that were made during the night.

Turtle egg hunting was a popular recreation for young couples, groups or families. The night of a full moon in June was considered the best night of the year for turtle egg hunting. Those people who enjoyed hunting for the eggs were not cruel to the turtles. When a nest was found, the eggs were dug out and counted. Then they were placed back in the hole and covered. The excitement of the hunters was to see who could find the most turtles and eggs. This type of recreation did not phase out until the early 1960s when television became available to the average person. Now, turtles and their nests are protected by law.

Two women recognized the limits of recreation in the area in 1951. They considered the potential for a Girl Scout program. Organizational information was secured for intermediate girls.

In 1952 Lone Troop #1, Supply, North Carolina, was organized and recognized by the Girl Scouts of America. This was the only active Girl Scout Troop in Brunswick County at that time.

There was a total of twenty-one girls in Lone Troop #1. Only one of these scouts lived at the beach. All the others lived on the mainland. The "Old Holden House" on Stanbury Road was used for the meeting place. The family room with a fireplace was an ideal place during cold winter months. This was the last use of the Old Holden House before it was demolished in the early 1960s. Hiking and day camping were enjoyable recreation for the girls. Crafts and music were also included.

The leaders were Mrs. Eunice E (Elizabeth) Holden and Mrs. John F (Johnsie) Holden, both residents of Holden Beach. The scouting program was discontinued after Hurricane Hazel's devastation in this area.