First Eagle Scout Attained

Date: September 2, 1912 • Location: Washington, United States

Arthur Rose Eldred became the first person to attain the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.

Arthur Rose Eldred was an American agricultural and railroad industry executive, civic leader, and the first Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). As a 16-year-old candidate for the highest rank bestowed by the BSA, he was personally interviewed by a panel composed of the youth organization's founders, including Ernest Thompson Seton and Daniel Carter Beard. Eldred was presented the coveted distinction of Eagle Scout on September 2, 1912, becoming the first of more than two million scouts in the U.S. since then to earn Scouting's most vaunted rank. Eldred also received the Bronze Honor Medal for lifesaving and was the first of four generations of Eagle Scouts in his family.