Lodge Memorabilia History

Welcome to the Miwok Lodge 439 Lodge Flap and Memorabilia History. These Web site pages are an illustrated history of each and every officially known item that falls into five different categories of Lodge memorabilia. This history includes our lodge flaps, patches, neckerchiefs and more.

The history of Miwok Lodge actually starts further back than many of you might think. The Lodge was originally chartered by the National Council on June 15, 1950. Our original totem was an eagle flying over a silver arrow. The Lodge was disbanded and its charter revoked by the National Council in October 1951. The apparent cause of the revocation was an injury of a Scout at one of the first Miwok Lodge event. There were no known flaps from the original 1950 Miwok Lodge. The Lodge was reestablished in March 1964,and it rechartered with our first Ordeal of that period at Camp Stuart on April 24-25, 1964. Our totem was changed to the silver fox which was once indigenous to the hills above Saratoga. Our first Lodge flap wasn't introduced until 1965, and there have been many since then.

To view the individual flaps, etc. in each category, just click on the picture/links to view a larger image and read the descriptions of the items. The patches at the head of each category below contains a link to the first page of that category. All of the category links can be found at the bottom of this page.

The first category is our Standard Flaps - 1965-Date. This category includes Universal flaps - these are available to all Lodge members; Ordeal flaps - these were available to all members of the Lodge, and they distinguished our Ordeal members; Brotherhood flaps - these were available to Brotherhood and Vigil members, and they distinguished our Brotherhood members; Vigil flaps - these were available to Vigil members, and they distinguished our Vigil members; Officer/Adviser flaps - these are available to current officers and advisers of the Lodge Executive Committee; and Elangomat flaps - these are available to Arrowmen who complete the Elangomat-Nimat requirements.

The second category is our Fellowship Flaps - 1992-Date. The includes NOAC flaps, trader flaps, Jamboree flaps, and event flaps. These can be one and two-part flap/patch sets. NOACs - 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004. Jamborees - 1997 and 2001. We have had one trader and two event flaps.

The third category is our Anniversary Flaps - 1974-Date. This includes special anniversaries of the Lodge and the Order of the Arrow. Miwok Lodge issued flaps for our 10th - 1974, 15th - 1979, 20th - 1984, 25th - 1989, 35th - 1999, and 40th - 2004 anniversaries. Many of these flaps were only available to members who attended the Lodge events during the anniversary years. Officer/Adviser flaps were issued for some of the years. We also issued a three-flap set for the 75 anniversary of the Order of the Arrow.

The fourth category is our Miscellaneous Items - 1973-Date. This includes our neckerchiefs, event patches, prototypes, and more. Miwok Lodge issued two neckerchiefs, one event patch, and a number of others items fall into this category.

This Miwok Lodge Flap and Memorabilia History - An Illustrated View - 1965 - Date was researched, prepared, and created by Emile Mestressat, Lodge Communications Adviser, Miwok Lodge 439. The flaps, patches, neckerchiefs, etc. pictured here and within were scanned from Emile's personal collection and that of others. Additional information was provided with the help of A History of the Order of the Arrow Through Insignia - Arapaho II and Arapaho 2000 by Albertus Hoogeveen and California Green Book (CGB) or California Order of the Arrow Lodge Emblem Handbook - Green Book - Volume II by Jeff Morley and Alan O'Connor.

The identification of each piece of memorabilia is represented by a letter(s) and a number(s). Miwok Lodge official listings - MS## - standard flaps, MF## - fellowship flaps, MA## - anniversary flaps, MX## - odd shaped patch, MN## - neckerchief, MP## - prototype flap, MB## - button, MHP## - hat pin, MUG## - mug, ME## - error flap. Arapaho II or 2000 listings - S## - solid embroidered flap, F## - not fully embroidered flap, X## - odd shaped patch. Listing with (S##) are recommended additions to Arapaho II or 2000. California Green Book - CGB - (1985/87/88) listings - S## - solid embroidered flap, F## - not fully embroidered flap, T## - triangular patch, and C in front of S## or F## - commemoratives. The Year listed is the first time the item was available.