by Don Rhodes, Post historian

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HISTORY OF AMERICAN LEGION POST 71

American Legion Post 71 was organized in 1931 in North Augusta and received its Charter in
September 1932, with an initial membership of 16 members who had come back to North
Augusta after having served in World War I. From 1932 to 1948, the new fledgling Post 71
members met in a very small building at Panic Pond, now the location of the North Augusta Community Center.

 

After many years of recruiting new Members, and after the end of World War II, the Post 71
Membership decided to build a new and larger Meeting Hall on some land that was leased
from the City of North Augusta, just a few blocks from their Panic Pond location. The
Members actually built their new Post Home themselves, using lumber and concrete blocks
that were donated by some of the Post members who were in the lumber and concrete block Business. The year of completion of this “New Legion Hut” was 1948. Some members who helped construct that facility are still living and continue to be members of Post 71.

 

The “Legion Hut” that was built in 1948 would accommodate only about 100 persons; and its facilities were very antiquated and somewhat “primitive.” Neither did the old building offer any accommodations for handicapped persons. However, that Old Building served Post 71 quite well for over 64 years! In about 2004, it became very obvious that the building had outlived its usefulness, and its physical condition was hampering operations & recruitment.

 

After several years of fund raising and planning, a major milestone was reached in December 2010 when the Post Membership gave the Post Commander approval to move forth with a plan to construct a much larger and more modern Post Home to replace the old “tired” Hut. After a process of competitive bidding, a fixed price contract was signed with Kuhlke & Associates Construction Company in Augusta on March 28, 2011, and ground was broken for a new 6,000 sq. ft. facility shortly thereafter. The “Old Legion Hut” was demolished to make way for the New Post Home to be built on the same site.

 

The New Post Home was completed and a Dedication Ceremony was held on October 15,
2011. The completion of this new facility was “A Dream Come True” for most of the
Members who had waited so long for a more modern and larger building that would allow
Post 71 to better serve its Members and other Veterans and their families throughout the
greater North Augusta area.

 

The Jesse C. Lynch Memorial American Legion Post 71 has been an integral part of this
community life since 1932, and it plans to continue to be a “Beacon of Hope” for all area
veterans and their families for years to come. This Post continues to live up to its motto of:
“For God & Country We Associate Ourselves Together!”