1776-1976 Girl Scouts Celebrate the Bicentennial

The Bicentennial celebration across America

National Girl Scout Programs for the Bicentennial

1974-1976

Finally found an image of the official GSUSA Bicentennial candle,
sold only through NES branches at $2.00 each.
They were to be lit in a special "Flames of Freedom"
celebrations held at local councils on March 12, 1976.

Red, White and Blue candle, 9" long, 1 1/2" wide,
burned for up to 10 hours.

This patch was the winner of the GS Bicentennial Task Group's contest.

Each troop across America could submit 1 vote

from the designs shown on the cover

of the Girl Scout Leader magazine March 1975.

The design was officially introduced at the

Girl Scout National Convention in 1975.

Older version of Overseas pin

Triennium Pin 1975-1978

Triennium Patch

Girl Scout Leader Nov/Dec 1975 with Bicentennial Quilt Making

Girl Scout Leader magazine May-June 1976,

promoting the American Camping Association's

Big Camp on July 4, 1976

Probably the best remembered council patch program was the "If I were a Girl Scout in 1776." It was a wonderful program developed by the Connecticut Trails Girl Scout Council in honor of America's Bicentennial in 1976. This was before there were Try-its and Interest Project patches - so there were only badges offered. They covered a wide range of interest, focusing on how life would be for a girl in Colonial America. The handbook even included instructions on sewing your own uniform for the time!

At a time before council's own badge and patch program, the "If I were a Girl Scout in 1776" caught fire and spread through many councils. It was a program whose time had come.