American Legion  

? - 1925 Located at 202 N. Main St. was refered to as the "American Legion Room."

1919 - Oct 1 - Twenty veterans of the military and naval service answered the call of Col. Gignilliat last Wednesday night to consider the organization of a local post of the American Legion. Capt. Fray was chairman of the meeting. It was decided to proceed with the completion of the organization and application has been made to Legion headquarters for a charter. In the informal discussion it was decided to call the past the "William Alexander Fleet 'Post" in memory of WIll Fleet who lost his life in the Great War on May 18, 1918. All men who were in service will be eligible for Legion membership. It is hoped that many former cadets of the academy will prefer to identofu themselves with the Culver unit.

1919 - Oct 29 Organizing A Legion Post

In order to get the matter more intimately before the returned soldiers of Union Township a meeting of the charter members of WIlliam Alexander Fleet Post American Lergion, was held at the library Saturday evening.

The attendance was not large, and those present were mainly from the academy, including
Col. Gillgnilliat -
Vice President - Maj Kennedy
Secretary Lieut. Benjamin Short
talks outilining the objects of the legion were made by Col. Gignilliat and Capt. Fray, a brief report of the recent state meeting at Indianapols was given by Cadet Liuet. Kennedy.

The organization was further perfected by the election of Russell Goldner as treasurer - the officer no consisiting of vice-president, Secretary, treasurer and an executive committee of five.

It was announced that any man filling out a application for membership before the national convention to be held in Minneapolis early in November would be enrolled on the charter list.

Several applications were signed and the meeting adjourned to meet at Hotel
Culver this(Wednesday ) evening.

1922 - Mar 22 - For Community Use

William A Fleet Post has fitted up the large room in the Stahl building in east and home like syle and generously offers it free to clubs or groups who may desire to use it for their meetings....

1922 - May 17 - Culver Legion Baeball Team

Fully Organized and Ready to Take on All contestants.

The original plan of prganizing a local association to promote a baseball team has been abandoned and the Wm. A Fleet post of the American Legion will handle the proposition.

A five-acre tract north of the school house has been leased from Frank Garn on which the diamond will be laid out. ROws of benches will answer the purpose of bleachers, at least for the first season.

Seven games have already been schedulerd with outside temas, which insures fourteen games for the team.

Arthur SImpson has been selected as business manager and Lieut Ed. Thessin will be captain and coach.

The tema will play Delong next Sunday at Delong the lineup will probably be:
Tessin, p
Burns, C
Allenbaugh, ss
Leighton 1b
Chester Pettis 2b
John Wagoner 3b
Pete Shaw rf
Roy Matties cf
Crossgrove lf
Several substitutes will accompany the team and will have a chance to get in on the game.

1924 - feb. 20 - The American Legion has paid an initial $500 for the lot across from the school building.

1925 - Johnson moves to the American Legion Room. The Post will move to the Warner building which has been occupied by the Koontz Variety Store until recently.

1930 - Feb 26 - Legion FOrms Plan FOr Memorial Plaza

To Landscape plot

Location Opposite School Building

Makes Effective Site for Memorial

THe locat post of t he American Legion announces a plan to transforms its lots opposit the school bouilding on the corner of Lake Shore Drive and School Street into a memorial plaza.

It is the intention to landscape the plat and erect a suitable memorial to the local soldiers who gave their lives in the World War.

The location is especially fitting as it is where the schohol children will pass by it every day and the landscaping will enhance the beauty of the school fgrounds as well

After many years of effort the WIlliam ALecander POst of the American Legion has secured full title to the two lots opposite the school buildings, procured and partially paid for about eight years ago, the the purpose of erecting thereon a community house.

A full measure of thanks for this accomplishment is due to th committee of citizens that controls the so-called Union Township Relief Fund, which is a surplus of the local Red Cross drive of war-time memory. It is out of this fund that the final payment for the lots was made.

The history of the efforts of the American Legion to effect the completion of the original pan of b ulding a Cumoonuity House, it will be recalled, was on of discouragement.

The opposition to it in certain quarters was such that it was recognized that the project could not be completed, and it has been obvious for some yeats that the original amibiatious plan would have to be abandoned due to lack of whole-hearted community support.

Last year an attempt was made to dispose of the lots, which fortunately met with failure. They were shortly withdrawm from the market because it was recognized that they might be purchased for the utilization of some undesirable business project for the front yard of a school, such as a garage or a gas station. This location, being on the main outlet from Culver for tState Road 10 and bounded by three streest, particularly favored such a utilization.

Then the plan was advanced to make a final attempt to pay for the lots and develope a memorial park on the plot, making it a spot of beautl and sentiment, appropriiately located in front of the school buildings, where it might best stiimulate our growing youth to the spere of thought and idealisms, not alone with the idea of commemorating war and its heros and hoors, but to commenmorate also the great hour and day of the end of this titanic conflict a nd the peace that followed it.

With this thought in mind the committee in charge of this work and development has had the outstanding lanscape arcjtect of the country, Jens Jensen, prepare the plan for this park.

It is a thing of beauty and it is hoped that at some early day it can be publicly displayed.

SOme suggestions have come in for an apprpriate name for this park, among them appear Culver Memorial Plaza; Culver Memorial Peace Plaza; Culver American Legion Park. The reders of this artice are invited to make suggestions for further possible names to the editor of the Citizen.

Plans to raise more funds for the landscaping of the plot are being made and it is optimistically hoped that the entire progect will be completed by mext fall and turned over to the city for use.

In connection with this it has b een urged that the unused road which bounds the eastern edge of the plot can be opened and run through southward, connecting with an already exising east and west road at the northern edge of the town, as an otlet for traffice to STate Road 10.

This would be far more desireable rout for traffic on aacount of the lessened danger to the school children if the street before it could be closed or seldom used.

1933 - Feb. 8 - The William Alexander Fleet Post of the American Legion has drawn up plans for the erection of a club house and community center near the lake.

1934 Jan 17 - The local post of the American Legion has decided to pay for the pavement that has been laid on Lake Shore Drive along Memorial Plaza.

1950-51 officers Martin Uebel, Finance; Kemp Moore, Commanderand Tom Walker, Adjutant

1943 - Oct 14 - William R. Easterday was elected commander of t he local post of the American legion at an enthusiastice meeting held in the Scout Cabin. Steffen Rector is the retiring commander.

1948 - Sep 1 - Maxinkuckee FIsh & Game Club Inc. to the American Legion and Community Building Association Memorial Building Association of Culver, northeast quarter of northeast quarter 18-32-1 north of Road 10 exce-t 30 rods off west side 24 acres also south 33 rods lot 1 in 7-32-1 9 acres

1950 -- May 30 - Memorial Day Rite to Honor Culver Soldiers Who Died Serving Nation; the community and all oginazations was asked to participate.

1955 Jan 19 - Anerican Legion To Break Groung for New Building

Public Is Invited to Ceremonies Next Sunday

A. R. McKesson, comander of the W. A. Fleet Post of the American Legion, has announced ground-breaking services to be held at 2:30 p..m. Sunfay for the new Legion Building to be constructed at the farm site on State Road 10.

The building will have a recreation room, an auditorium of 1,600 square feet, heated by two furances and finished in a rustic style appropriate to the surroungings.

There will be a kitvhen and to restrooms and a utility room. The W. A. Fleet Auxillary Unit 103 will equip the kitchen.

Memeber of the building committ include John O'Connor, Thoma K. Walker, Georhe Babcovk, John H. Wagoner and Russell FIsher.

Mr. McKeson paid particular tribute to the eforts of Russel, pat adhuant, who had planned this type of buiding for many years.

The public i invited to attend the ground-breaking ceremoinies.

1963 - Jul 17 - Legion and Auxillary Officers Installed at Joint ceremony

Preceding joint istallation of officers of the Culver American Legion and the American Legion Auxillary at the Legion Home Thursday eveing a pot luck was served with approoooooximately 55 members and guests attending.

Mrs. Ora Reed, president of the Auxiliary was in charge of the arrangements.

FOllowing the supper Ora Reed, commander, opened the meeting and introduced George Morton, Michigan City northe Maj Kern vice commander, wh was in charge of the installation of the Culver Officers.

Officers Installed were:
Commander - Martin Ubel
1st ZVice Commander - Ora Reed
2nd Vice Commander - Hugh Harper
Adjutant - Chauncey Lennen
Finance Office - Thomas K. Walker
Chaplin - Ivan Walker
Service Officer - Kemp Moore
St. at Arms - Neal Lictenberger.
After the Mr. Ubel, the new commander, had b een presented the gavel, he thanked the Michigan City group and closed the meeting.

Mrs Ord Reed, president of the Culver Auxillary introduced Mrs. Coleman Howton of Argos, past 3rd Distreict president, who was in charge of the installation of officers of the Culver Auxillary.

The following officers were installed:
Mrs. Daniel Bieker - President
Mrs. Reed - 1st Vice-president
Mrs Ruth Overmyer - 2nd Vice president
Mrs. Thomas K. Waker - Cecretary
Mrs. Neal Lichtenberger - treasurer
Mrs. Leser Brown - Historian
Mrs Joseph McCarthy - Chaplain
Mrs. Jack Taylor - Sgt at Arms.
After the new president had been presented te gavel she named her committee chairmen and after a brief talk, closed the meeting.

1965 - Jul 15 - Martin Ubel elected Commander to fill the vacancy of Chauncey B. Lennen who resigned.

1991 - Culver’s Fleet Post No. 103 of the American Legion dissolved with a final get-together…