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The 1940's -
Founding of American Legion Post 177
On October 23, 1945, our late Comrade Amos Chilcott, Honorary Life Member of Post 177,
donated nine acres of an apple orchard and open fields on Oak
Street to erect a Post Veteran’s Memorial Home and Community
Center. Amos Chilcott’s munificent donation today is worth
over a million dollars. While Amos’ motivation for this
selfless act is lost to history, the Post’s old-timers surmise
that it was his love of his country and his belief in the
purpose for which American fighting men and women struggled over
the preceding four long years. The history of Post 177 and the
building built on the land that he donated are intertwined.
A meeting was held on
November 13, 1944 to organize an American Legion Post in
Fairfax, Virginia --- far from the conflict that continued to
ravage Europe and the Far East. Many of those attending had
served with distinction in the "Great War," World War
I. The purpose of founding the Post was to provide a local
organization for the returning World War II heroes, where they
could seek assistance in returning to civilian life and provide
a meeting place for returning veterans to discuss their
experiences and enjoy the company of their fellow
comrades-in-arms. The names of our founding members, as recorded
on the Charter Application, were: Robert D. Graham, Duncan
Hannegan, Frank Sagendorf, Benjamin J. Blevins, Ralph K. Tallant,
Colonel H. W. T. Eglin, R. M. Loughborough, Robert B. Walker, M.
P. Adkerson, Joseph C. Bennett, Carl Speiss. Rufus Caldwell, W.
T. Woodson, F. E. Parker, and Colonel E. M. Offley, all of whom
have now passed on as far as is known.
That first meeting, held at
the Fairfax County Trial Justice Court in the then Town of
Fairfax, led to the incorporation and charter of The American
Legion Post No. 177 in January, 1945. For several years the Post
meetings were held in Old Town Hall (also called the Willard
Hall and/or Huddleston Memorial Library), Old Fairfax Elementary
School (now the Fairfax Museum and Visitors Center), members’
homes, and other local establishments. After years of planning,
difficulties with material shortages, and restrictive
regulations, the first shovel of dirt was turned to commence
building the Veteran’s Memorial Home and Community Center in
February, 1951. Construction was slow over the next five years
and the Post Home was built by gifted Legionnaires with donated
labor, gifts of materials, many Post fundraisers, and borrowed
money. Legionnaire Charles P. McKenna, a local building
contractor, was the Building Committee Chairman.
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