Nanuk Lodge #355 was established July 1, 1947, with the inception of the Alaska Council of the Boy Scouts of America, based out of the State Capital of Juneau. Initially the Council was responsible for the entire State of Alaska.
The Lodge Totem is the great Alaskan Polar Bear, which the Inuit people call “Nanook”, the lodge name is a variation of that name. By 1957, scouting was developed enough in the Anchorage area to support a new council. The Western Alaska Area Council was formed on July 1, 1955 and retained the original lodge name. Southeast Alaska formed a new lodge, named Kootz, which merged into Nanuk Lodge in 2006, thus becoming the lodge of the Great Alaska Council. Nanuk Lodge is responsible for OA programs across 297,833 square miles, covering the Aleutian Islands, Western Alaska Coast, South-Central Alaska, and the Pan-Handle to the South-East.
Nanuk was a National Quality Lodge in 2004, 2007 & 2009
Nanuk has the following JTE accomplishments:
Bronze – 2013, Gold – 2014, Gold – 2015, Gold – 2016, Silver – 2017, Gold – 2018
Nanuk has been awarded the following awards:
National Camping Award 1996, OA Innovation Award 2014
Lodge Key Three History
The Key Three is made up of the Lodge Chief, Lodge Adviser, and Lodge Staff Adviser. These individuals oversee the complete operations of all lodge functions and business. The Chief is elected annually by our members and the Advisers are appointed by the Scout Executive on a yearly basis. Below are those who have served at the helm of our organization.
| Year | Lodge Chief | Lodge Adviser | Lodge Staff Adviser |
| 2023 | Joshua Nelson | Al Szewczyk | Ian Sands |
| 2022 | AJ Szewczyk | Al Szewczyk | Samuel Giacalone |
| 2021 | Conner Kniefel | Brice Alexander | Samuel Giacalone |
| 2020 | Joe Pavia-Jones | Brice Alexander | Samuel Giacalone |
| 2019 | Alexander Christenson/Joe Pavia-Jones | Brice Alexander | Benjamin Ormsby |
| 2018 | Ian Sands | Samuel Giacalone | Benjamin Ormsby |
| 2017 | Ian Sands | Samuel Giacalone | Benjamin Ormsby |
| 2016 | Andrew Arsenault | Samuel Giacalone | Benjamin Ormsby |
| 2015 | Michael Wilson | Samuel Giacalone | Benjamin Ormsby |
| 2014 | Nigel Floyd | Samuel Giacalone | Benjamin Ormsby |
| 2013 | Nicholas Greene | Tane Vincent | Justin Savidis |
| 2012 | Jacob Hanchett/Tyler Berger | Gordon Ward/Tane Vincent | Justin Savidis |
| 2011 | Andre Giacalone | Gordon Ward | Justin Savidis |
| 2010 | Andre Giacalone | Gordon Ward | Justin Savidis |
| 2009 | Adam Ward | Gordon Ward | Cal Hiebsch |
| 2008 | Samuel Giacalone/Adam Ward | Nick Stout/Gordon Ward | Cal Hiebsch |
| 2007 | Samuel Giacalone | Nick Stout | Don Olson |
| 2006 | Chris Beck/Samuel Giacalone | Nick Stout | Don Olson |
| 2005 | Grant Evans/William Foster | Nick Stout | Matt Hill |
| 2004 | Konrad Pyle | Nick Stout | Matt Hill |
| 2003 | Justin Kaucic/John O’Grady | Nick Stout | Matt Hill |
| 2002 | Justin Kaucic | Rindi Patterson | |
| 2001 | Scott Patterson | Rindi Patterson | |
| 2000 | Sam Correa | Rindi Patterson | |
| 1999 | Duane Granath | Rindi Patterson | |
| 1998 | Brad Lowry | Rindi Patterson | |
| 1997 | Jamie Rothwell | Ron Bitzer | |
| 1996 | Brad Lowry | Dale Hartzler | |
| 1995 | Kelly King | Dale Hartzler | |
| 1994 | Kelly King | Noah Smith | |
| 1993 | Daniel Patchin | Noah Smith | |
| 1992 | Daniel Patchin | Noah Smith | |
| 1991 | David Daly | Noah Smith | |
| 1990 | David Daly | Noah Smith | |
| 1989 | Edward Glenn | Noah Smith | |
| 1988 | Edward Glenn | Travis Barber | |
| 1987 | James Griffin | Ray Morris | |
| 1986 | James Griffin | Ray Morris | |
| 1985 | No Record | Ray Morris | |
| 1984 | Stan Atschley | Ray Morris | |
| 1983 | Steve Sherrod/Stan Atschley | Ray Morris | |
| 1982 | Steve Sherrod | Ray Morris | |
| 1981 | Scott Learned | Ray Morris | |
| 1980 | Ed Penisten | Ray Morris | |
| 1979 | Jerold Everand | Ray Morris | |
| 1978 | Johnny Ellis | Ray Morris | |
| 1977 | Dennis Mitchell | Richard Lewis | |
| 1976 | Mark Jackson | Richard Lewis | |
| 1975 | Mark Jackson | Daniel Contini | |
| 1974 | No Record | Ralph Dobbs | |
| 1973 | No Record | Ralph Dobbs | |
| 1972 | Randall Farris | Ralph Dobbs | |
| 1971 | Randall Farris | James Henson | |
| 1970 | Jack Horner | James Henson | |
| 1969 | John Lambe | Hal Hopkins | |
| 1968 | Jaque Sumner | D.M. McKinnon | |
| 1967 | Don W. Stevens | Theophilus Putt | |
| 1966 | Glen Wardle | Joe C. Spurlock II | |
| 1965 | Glen Wardle | Joseph Marino | |
| 1964 | Grover Wright | Joseph Marino | |
| 1963 | Grover Wright | Joseph Marino | |
| 1962 | John Borreceo | Joseph Marino | |
| 1961 | Dick Enberg Jr. | Walter Strong | |
| 1960 | Fred Braun | Walter Strong | |
| 1959 | Don Witsoe | H.J. Rosen | |
| 1958 | Donald Wiley | H.J. Rosen | |
| 1957 | Dale Clark | Maurice F. Powers | |
| 1956 | Dale Clark | Maurice F. Powers | |
| 1955 | Arnie Christiansen | Norman A. Lowenstein | |
| 1954 | Harry Campbell | Norman A. Lowenstein | |
| 1953 | Wayne Powers | Norman A. Lowenstein | |
| 1952 | Bennie Dupris Jr. | Norman A. Lowenstein | |
| 1951 | No Chief Elected | Doermus P. Scudder | |
| 1950 | No Chief Elected | Doermus P. Scudder | |
| 1949 | No Chief Elected | Doermus P. Scudder | |
| 1948 | No Chief Elected | Russell A. Apple | |
| 1947 | Duane Huntly | Harold Gribble |
Section Leadership History
Nanuk Lodge has played a pivotal role in our section since the Lodge joined the Section in 1992. We have a strong history of youth and adult leaders throughout the organization. Here is everyone who has held a nationally-recognized leadership role in our section.
| Year | Name | Position |
| 2023 | Scott Hobbs | Section Vice Chief |
| 2022 | Conner Kniefel | Section Vice Chief |
| 2019 | Ian Sands | Section Chief |
| 2012 | Andre Giacalone | Section Vice Chief |
| 2011 | Andre Giacalone | Section Vice Chief |
| 2010 | Samuel Giacalone | Section Chief |
| Adam Ward | Section Secretary | |
| 2009 | Samuel Giacalone | Section Chief |
| 2007 | Christopher Beck | Section Chief |
| 2006 | Christopher Beck | Section Secretary |
| 2003 | Justin Kaucic | Section Vice Chief |
| 2001 | Raymond C. Wall Jr. | Associate Section Adviser |
| 2000 | Brad Lowry | Section Chief |
| Rick Wride | Section Staff Adviser | |
| 1999 | Brad Lowry | Section Chief |