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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:

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.

63 Comments on Boys’ Life Archives

  1. Too bad that you can not download certain pages and print them out for use with present day Scouts. Some of the articles are still good for today’s Scouting use.

    Should bring back the old reprints that they had years ago. Making your own equipment, ie; tents, packs, camping equipment instead of getting the overpriced equipment sold today.

  2. How does someone print information found in the archive articles?

  3. I just love it.

  4. They’re missing 2012

    • Anonymous // May 11, 2012 at 8:51 am // Reply

      They have to or why would people pay to get subscription when they could come on her and look at 2012 for

  5. I am amazed with this feature and belive it or not the WHOLE magazine!

  6. CubScout25 // March 21, 2012 at 1:06 pm // Reply

    really cool! I like it 🙂 😀 :d

    CubScout25.

  7. great feature!

  8. I like it

  9. i’m sorry ,1990

  10. great site. Im looking to buy a copy of November 1956. The Gizmo robot thats in there I build myself in 1957. Its a great project and want to use it for a scout project now.

  11. cool way back then and now and the future.

  12. Thanks for a terrific archive of a great magazine. I had forgotten I received it (early 1960s) even before becoming a scout. After all these years many articles and photos still seem familiar. And a chess column by a young Bobby Fischer– wow. My son is just starting scouting and I will order him a subscription.

  13. Cubmaster Todd // January 22, 2012 at 8:22 pm // Reply

    I wonder if our Cub Scout pack will ever get in. Well, I hope it does!

  14. Will we ever be able to print them out?

  15. i love it exept it dosent have all the years.

  16. is that a brown bear on the may 1919 cover

  17. Scoutmaster Dave // December 28, 2011 at 12:26 pm // Reply

    I remember when BL came in the large size format. Our troop was on the cover of the February 1996 issue. Too cool. Great magazine!

  18. This thing is really awsome!!!!!!!!!

  19. thanks its cool bsa

  20. spongbob 4789 // December 22, 2011 at 6:55 am // Reply

    THis Rocks I love boys life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  21. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  22. The older the better!!!!!!!!!

  23. my grampa had boys life in the 1950s and my dad got them around the 1970s

  24. Mahalo for sharing this, I was able to see an article with my grandparents and father in it from the Oct. 1956 issue.

  25. Honey mustard // November 29, 2011 at 7:46 pm // Reply

    It’s great history for 90 years long since 1920!

  26. I remember all those ads for the greeting card sales clubs in the late 1970’s (STAR WARS era). I used to do those all the time. My first prize I picked was a model rocket kit, my mom bought all the boxes required. Now I am actual rocket scientist, and my son just got his first issue of Boy’s Life this past week.

  27. Awesome! really cool 🙂 :.

  28. Troop90iscool // November 16, 2011 at 7:14 am // Reply

    This is a great way too see what was inside earlier magazines
    Awesome!

  29. Thank you “Boys Life.” My sons enjoy your magazine as much as I did when I was young. Your fine values of Faith, Family and Nation remain intact. My grandsons will get your magazine too.

  30. I love it,especially April 1992.Kirbys may man

  31. that was the year the M1911 was invented fyi.

  32. Tadpole & Son // October 26, 2011 at 11:42 am // Reply

    Great Way Back Tool–Remember reading my brothers mags in the 70s. Time to make an updated mask!

  33. the hiking scout // October 24, 2011 at 7:09 pm // Reply

    Going though all boy’s life issues took lots of time but my favorite one was the febuary 1956 magizine.

  34. THAT IS COOL IT IS SO COOL THAT BOYS’ LIFE HAS BEEN MADE FOR 100 YEARS THAT IS 91 YEARS OLDER THAN ME

  35. THAT IS COOL

  36. Game Masta a.k.a.1 4m 4w30m3 // October 17, 2011 at 9:05 am // Reply

    this is so freakin awesome!!!!!!!!

  37. Dose anybody out there remember burying a time capsule?

  38. machupichu0609 // October 6, 2011 at 5:39 pm // Reply

    magazines have changed alot since 1911

  39. 😉

  40. WOW MY MOM USE TO BY ME THESE BOOKS!!IVE BEEN BUYING IT SINCE BELIEVE IT OR NOT!SINCE 1936!

  41. Sure, we had plenty of sweaters that looked like that, only we didn’t get them until the 70’s. Looks just like we dressed, say 73 or so. happy scouting

  42. Wonderful addition to my LIFE, nice to reminisce.

  43. Superman14524 // September 10, 2011 at 7:15 pm // Reply

    I LOVE the wayback machine
    I can go look at Boys Life Magazines In 1910
    SO COOL!!!!!!!!

  44. last year was my schools first year playing football we started a 8 man team and made it to the unofficial state semi finals it was a blast thanks for digging up this article

  45. WAY AWESOME FOR BL!!!!!!

  46. I think the WAYBACK Machine is wonderful. I have been looking for an article for 50 years. and there it was! Is it possible to get a reprint of November 1956 pages 74-75?

  47. i love it

  48. legosrcool // August 4, 2011 at 7:29 pm // Reply

    this is so cool!

  49. Eaglemike68 // August 3, 2011 at 11:56 am // Reply

    Awesome

  50. Ive wondered so much what was inside the first BSA magazine but thanks to BSA they made they made that come true with Way back machine
    thanks BSA!.

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