Troop 206 was first chartered in 1955 by the Encinal PTA in Atherton and Preston Harrald was its first Scoutmasters; 16 Scouts were registered in the first year. The Troop prospered in time and was eventually co-chartered by the Atherton Police Athletic League, and the PTA. In the late 1960s, Mike Bredenbrek was recruited as Scoutmaster out of a Palo Alto unit to lead the Troop, and with him eventually came Warren "It's Just Around the Bend, Boys" Storkman and a dozen or more Palo Alto Scouts. The troop grew steadily through the 70s and for several years was split in two separate registered units (206 and 606) when the enrollment neared 100 and over the recommended unit size by BSA National standards. At that time, one troop and its patrolled had Emerald piping on their neckerchiefs and the other had Gold piping. Sometime later, the two troops were reunited , but the Emerald and Gold neckerchiefs were retained and patrols were assigned to one division or the other. Leadership (boy and adult) neckerchiefs use both Emerald and Gold piping.
Mike Bredenbeck had been active in a southern California Troop which went to Camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island nearly every year, and beginning in 1969, Troop 206 began a long and continuing tradition of using Emerald Bay as its frequent summer camp destination. For many years, 206 and the LA Troop camped together during the same session, and at 150 Scouts strong, essentially took over the camp. Today, Troop 206 attends a variety of local and distant camps. In years past we’ve gone to Oljato, Chewanakee, Emerald Bay, Fleischmann, Royaneh, Wente, and Hi Sierra in California as well as camps in Oregon and Hawaii.
During Mike's long but interrupted years as Scoutmaster, Warren Storkman ran the summer Trek program which he continued during his years as Scoutmaster in the late 80s. and beyond. In many years, the summer included a 20-30 mile Trek and a 50 miler. Besides the annual Treks, the Troop developed other traditions during the years including two perpetual awards. The Angus Award, first presented to Scott Rehmus in 1986, honors Scouts who demonstrate outstanding youth leadership in the Troop and is named after George Angus, a long time Trinity parishioner active in Peninsula Scouting. Angus nominees are selected by the Assistant Scoutmaster Council. The Storkman Award, presented by the Patrol Leaders Council, is a tribute to the year's outstanding patrol. The award plaque, which includes a brass-plated pair of Warren's old hiking boots, was first presented in 1990 to the Vikings patrol. They were a near legendary patrol in the Troop's history and won the Storkman three times in the early 90s; two of its Patrol leaders (Nils Lahr and Dave DesMarais) were also Angus honorees
By 1988 when Warren was succeeded by Jim Pooley, the Troop had grown too large for the Encinal gym and its meeting place and charter moved to Sacred Heart Preparatory School in Menlo Park. The Troop remained there until the mid-90s when it once again returned to the Encinal gym. And at this time, Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park became the single charter holder for the Troop.
Besides summer camps and Treks, some of the Troop's other traditional activities have included the annual Scouting for Food campaign, family downhill skiing, snow camping, canoeing and rafting, a Pancake Breakfast at Trinity, and Bay Area backpacking and hiking. Some of the non- recurring activities have included a Sacramento River canoe trip from Red Bluff to Knights Landing (1973), High Adventure Camps at Philmont in New Mexico, earthquake relief work in Watsonville (1986), and Summer Camp in Maui (2001). Troop 206 also has a strong tradition of nurturing the development of Eagles; over 150 boys have earned Scouting's highest award with the Troop since its founding. Eagle projects have included trail improvement and bench construction in local parks, emergency facilities for neighborhood schools, street sign refurbishment, and restoration work in the historic Civil War cemetery on Woodside Road.