Boys’ Life Archives
Scout Life magazine has partnered with Google Books to archive more than 100 years of Boys’ Life magazine. You can view nearly every issue from March 1911 to December 2012 at the following links:
- 1911-1919 issues
- 1920-1929 issues
- 1930-1939 issues
- 1940-1949 issues
- 1950-1959 issues
- 1960-1969 issues
- 1970-1979 issues
- 1980-1989 issues
- 1990-1999 issues
- 2000-2009 issues
- 2010-2012 issues
Once you find the issue you’d like to read, just click on the “Preview this magazine” link. You can also search within a particular issue or across all issues.
What About Issues Since 2012?
Many articles published since 2012 are available here on the Scout Life website. You can also find recent issues of the magazine on the Scout Life app.
These archives of Boy’s Life magazine are really great in understanding United States History. “Doppler” Weather Radar was invented in 1964 and showed its usefulness as a tool in weather forecasting and in use in the field of meteorology in May, 1973. By 1975 or 1976, many of the television weather forecasters and television broadcast meteorologists were using “Doppler” Weather radar images in describing the weather forecast for a particular weather update or weather forecast television broadcast.
These archives of Boy’s Life magazine are really great in understanding United States History. Charles A. Lindbergh (1902 to 1974) was the first person to solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean by traveling from Garden City, New York (Long Island, New York) to Paris, France in May, 1927. He made a solo flight by airplane in an airplane that contained a Wright Whirlwind single propeller airplane engine and traveled 3,600 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in about thirty-three and one-half hours (33 1/2 hour airplane flight by a single propeller airplane). The name of his airplane was called “The Spirit of Saint Louis”. A Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet Airplane (using airplane jet engines) usually travel the 3,600 miles from New York, New York to Paris, France in about seven (7 hours) hours to eight (8 hours) hours. The British Aerospace Concorde Supersonic Passenger Airplane would travel the 3,600 miles in about three and one-half (3 1/2 hours) hours.
I have asked 2 times about getting copies of the June 1965 issue of Boy’s Life. I must have B/O as nobody wants to let me know if is possible. Is It???
We don’t have any copies available for sale, but you might be able to find them on ebay. Good luck!
I may have that issue if you’re still looking.
I have a very good copy if you are still in need of it
As a Boy Scout in the1960s our troop had a light canvas floor less tent called an explorer tent. They were fairly light (for a canvas tent) and roomy. I’ve tried to find them online but it seems no one has a clue what I’m talking about. Does anyone know what I’m looking for and if there is a place I can still get this style of tent ? This tent had a single center pole with a short ridge pole.
I think that you might find a set of plans for this tent in “Popular Mechanics” magazine in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The article was about 2 pages and reprinted in “Popular Mechanics” “Boy Mechanic Books”.
Just a short note, The Explorer Tent was designed with a floor for use in Alaskan Mosquito country. Do a Google Image search and you find that “TentSmiths” makes a fair version of the Explorer Tent.
I sold cards for the Wallace Brown greeting card company (All-occassion greeting cards) and earned a BB gun
I am so glad I found this. In an issue for medal of heroism. Been looking for it for so many years…Thank YOu
Where is the January 1912 issue?
There isn’t any. Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Pay attention to the volume number and issue number. Apparently there was a January 1912 issue, but no one can find a copy of it. I wonder what it would be worth? About the same value as the video tape of Super Bowl I, I would think.
It doesn’t get better than reading Green Bar Bill’s first column in the October ’32 issue
MURDER MYSTERY
Way Back in the 50’s I would look forward to my Boy’s Life magazine and I would read it over and over until the next arrived. I feel I learned a great deal about how to interact with people from the articles in Boy’s Life. In the famous words of Bob Hope, “Thanks for the memories”.
Is this image supposed to be of John Rueger Explorer Base formerly of Sheepshead Bay, NY?