‘Scout Hall’ has been ‘home’ for Troop 1 for 85 years. Nellie Smith donated it to St. Helena in 1936 for the exclusive use of B.S.A. Troop 1 in St. Helena.

The beginning

Originally built by the Martinelli Family, who moved to St. Helena from Switzerland (Southern Switzerland is a very Italian community, (almost an extension of Northern Italy). They grew and harvested olives from Conn Valley. In 1933, the Martinelli Family moved back to Switzerland.

The Smiths purchase the St. Helena Olive Oil Factory

Nellie and William Smith bought the building and continued operating the business. Walter Smith passed away in 1933, and the business was shuttered. The building fell into disrepair.

Nellie Smith deeds the building to St. Helena

Walter Metzner, Nellie Smith’s only son-in-law, and Mayor of St. Helena for 20 years. He was also a founding member of Troop 1 as well as the St. Helena Rotary Club. It appears that Walter persuaded Nellie Smith to donate the building to St. Helena for the ‘exclusive use’ of Troop 1 during its active existence (expanded to include the Girls Scouts in the mid-80s).

• Walter and Susan Metzner •

Walter Metzner Renovations

Scout Hall has had three major citizen-led, citizen-funded, renovations since it being deeded to the City. The first in 1936, the second in the mid-50s, and the most recent in 1983