Jacksonville, Cherokee County
As a branch of the Boy Scouts of America, Sea Scouting promotes mental and physical fitness through maritime skills. In 1936, Jacksonville attorney John C. Box, Jr., organized a unit for local boys, sailing the Sea Scouts Ship 400. The Sea Scouts met in one of four buildings made of red ironstone by the works progress administration (WPA). One of the buildings was built in the shape of a hull and deck of a sailboat, fronted by a small amphitheater. This served as a classroom for nautical procedure, sail hoisting, signaling and knot tying. The ship 400 dissolved in 1951. In its 15 years of operation, the Sea Scouts provided a fun and educational opportunity during the depression, WWII and post-war Texas.