Message Board

I recently received an email from Kelly Joines who serves as Recreation Assistant/ Tour Guide at Garmisch Outdoor Recreation.

For all you RAIDERS and/or anyone else that ever crossed the path of the Kean Lodge, here is the correspondence between Kelly and me:

KELLY JOINES WROTE REQUESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE KEAN LODGE. HERE IS HER LETTER AND MY REPLY:

Hi James,
I found your Shutterfly web site and it was the only place I have seen that much info about Kean’s Lodge. I am currently working for Family and MWR at Garmisch Outdoor Recreation and Tours. We were recently informed that Kean’s Lodge is going back to the German Bundeswehr come September. I have a journalism background and am writing a “Farewell to Kean’s” article for publication. I was hoping I could quote your March 28, 2013 entry and chat with you more about this special place. There aren’t that many people still here that know a lot about its history. From the write up you published on Shutterfly, it sounds like you had a large part in acquiring Kean’s Lodge. Please let me know if you are available to chat more and/or mind being quoted. I am so glad that I just found your updated e-mail address on AFRCski.com message board. I had sent this originally to your military e-mail address.

Kelly Joines
Recreation Assistant/ Tour Guide
Garmisch Outdoor Recreation
CIV: 08821-750-2638
DSN: 440-2638
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KELLY:

You are welcome to quote me. I will try to answer your questions in the order you posted:

1. When was Kean’s Lodge originally acquired?
When I really don't know, but something in the back of my mind had to do with the German Luftwaffa prior to the end of the war. (WWII). Could have been in or around the time of the Olympics. You might check with the GAP Office of Information in regards to this.

2. What was its initial purpose? I understand the Kean’s has been under AFRC and now FMWR.
Here again as I mentioned above............
I recall this buinding as sitting empty for several years, back in the 50's. While I was stationed in Stuttgart-Vaihingen at the Patch Barracks (Kurmaker Kaserne) [Then the Seventh U.S. Army Headquarters] I was the Seventh Army Boy Scout Coordinator and District Training Commissioner for the Black Horse District. I inquired with the Garmisch Post Commander as to the possible use of this building for the Boy Scouts withe the southern area of Germany. Camp Daulphe was way up north and too far for week-end retreats. The commander gave the green light thus we started using the lodge for scouting events. During this time Colonel Kean was our District Commissioner. It was during his time with us he took ill and passed away. I coined the use of his name to honor him by naming the lodge KEAN LODGE. It took hold and has remained that way since that period of time.

3. Was it purchased? Is there any way we could find out how much it was purchased for and from whom?
No one "purchased" the lodge. It was part of the property that the U.S. Army took over from the Bavarian State at the end of WWII.

4. I believe Kean’s has been a ski lodge and a skeet range. Do you have any recollection of these or the time periods it served as these?
I believe AFRC took over use of the lodge after the draw-down back in the 90's and used it as a ski lodge. All in all the GAP garrison had control of the site. It was used as a skeet range sometime back in 1970. Again, off and on, the building was empty and served as a place for OUTWARD BOUND and ADVANTURE TRAINING. Sometimes the Rangers from Bad Tolz used the facility.

5. What big events have happened at Keans?
A couple Transatlantic Council BSA Camporees.

6. Any other recommendations on whom to ask for more info regarding Keans?
Not off-hand. You are picking the brain of a 77 year old that can't remember what he had for lunch yesterday, let alone what I did way back 1956 until 1974.

Lastely: Also, I was up at Kean Lodge today and noticed the plaque there says LT COL Stephen T Kean, Transatlantic Council, Boy Scouts of America, 1958-1961. Do you know what those years represent?

The plaque you saw shows the time Col Kean served as District Commissioner. He passed away at the U.S. Army hospital in Munich back in 1961. It was placed in the lodge once approval was given to dedicate the lodge to LTC Kean.

Keep up the good work and keep me posted.

Regards: Jim Carey