In 1912, Juliette Gordon Low brought Girl Scouting to the United States. The first Girl Scout troop in California was established in 1917 in Palo Alto. Girl Scouts of Northern California was incorporated in 2007, comprising five former councils, and is the home of GSNorCal’s Heritage Committee.
The Heritage Committee’s mission is to collect, conserve, and catalogue items related to Girl Scout History. The committee is responsible for creating many of the wonderful displays of Girl Scout artifacts at our local offices and properties. They also maintain a lending library of uniforms and equipment that is available for public displays, fashion shows, and for girls and youth to experience. The committee is always looking for donations of clothing and Girl Scout memorabilia.
Uniform Rental
Uniforms are available for a nominal rental fee and a refundable loss/damage deposit is required. Call or email for further information. Please reserve uniforms at least 2-3 weeks in advance.
| HERITAGE RESOURCES (Listed by County and City where Historian lives) |
| Historian/ Heritage Contact | Juliette’s Box | Juliette’s Trunk | Uniforms to Loan | |
| Alameda County / Oakland | Lynne Armstrong armlynne@yahoo.com | Lynne Armstrong armlynne@yahoo.com | Lynne Armstrong armlynne@yahoo.com | Lynne Armstrong armlynne@yahoo.com |
| Butte County / Chico | Annelle Reed aramj.234@gmail.com | Annelle Reed aramj.234@gmail.com | Annelle Reed aramj.234@gmail.com | |
| Contra Costa County / Orinda | Gail Lamotte gailscout@mac.com | Gail Lamotte gailscout@mac.com | Gail Lamotte gailscout@mac.com | |
| Contra Costa County / Moraga | Gail Tsuboi gtsuboi@comcast.net | |||
| Humbolt County / McKinleyville | Elaine Reed eandtreed@suddenlink.net | Elaine Reed eandtreed@suddenlink.net | Elaine Reed eandtreed@suddenlink.net | |
| Marin County / Novato | Mary Nordquist neilmary@verizon.net | Mary Nordquist neilmary@verizon.net | ||
| Marin County / San Rafael | Cheryl Brown dotbrown@aol.com | Cheryl Brown dotbrown@aol.com | ||
| San Francisco County / SF | Carol Horaitis cj-horaitis@rocketmail.com | Carol Horaitis cj-horaitis@rocketmail.com | Carol Horaitis cj-horaitis@rocketmail.com | Carol Horaitis cj-horaitis@rocketmail.com |
| San Mateo County / Redwood City | Debbie Brusco fireflydeb@yahoo.com | Debbie Brusco fireflydeb@yahoo.com | Debbie Brusco fireflydeb@yahoo.com | Debbie Brusco fireflydeb@yahoo.com |
| Santa Clara County / San Jose | Theresa Cearley cearleytheresa@gmail.com | Theresa Cearley cearleytheresa@gmail.com | Theresa Cearley cearleytheresa@gmail.com | Theresa Cearley cearleytheresa@gmail.com |
| Solano County/ Fairfield | Sue Odneal s.odneal@sbcglobal.net | Sue Odneal s.odneal@sbcglobal.net | ||
| Sonoma County / Sonoma | Carol Short carolraeshort@aol.com | Carol Short carolraeshort@aol.com | ||
| Sonoma County / Rohnert Park | Kathy Place kathyvplace@gmail.com | Kathy Place kathyvplace@gmail.com |
Site Specific Resources
Camp Bothin Girl Scout History Museum (Fairfax): Contact Cheryl Brown at dotbrown@aol.com or Anne Mahoney at agmahoney@verizon.net
Alameda Office Displays: ContactGail Tsuboi at gtsuboi@comcast.net or Gail Lamotte at gailscout@mac.com
San Jose Office Displays: Contact Theresa Cearley at cearleytheresa@gmail.com
Camp Bothin Heritage Museum
A substantial collection of Girl Scout memorabilia, photographs, historic uniforms, and artifacts is housed at our Camp Bothin property.
Tours/visits to the Camp Bothin Heritage Museum must be scheduled in advance. If you are reserving Camp Bothin for an event, please feel free to schedule a museum visit while your group is on site. For more information about the Camp Bothin Heritage Museum or to schedule a visit, please email info@gsnorcal.org.
Heritage Collection at the Alameda & San Jose Offices
This collection include uniforms, pins, badges, and memorabilia documenting local and national Girl Scout history. San Jose houses a scale replica of the home of Girl Scout’s founder, Juliette Gordon Low. The 24-square-foot, nine-bedroom dollhouse features working electric lights, parlors, trunk rooms, and working doors and windows. It replicates the English Regency style of architecture that was fashionable at the time of its construction (1818-1821). The interior reflects a renovation that occurred in 1886 when Juliette Low was growing up.
The collection is located adjacent to the retail stores and may be visited during store hours.
For Questions, contact Nancy Corbin at njcorbin@att.net for more information about the Heritage Committee.
Last updated on February 26, 2026