American Legion Post 48--Photo of the Day

    PAYSON AMERICAN LEGION POST 48

The American Post 48 was established in Payson on October 1, 1920.  Dr. L. D. Stewart was the first commander, Harry Tipton was the vice commander and Rex Peery was the adjutant.  The first meetings were held on the upper floor of a building located on North Main Street.
    In May of 1940 plans sponsored by the local American Legion were underway for a great civic development in Payson.  For some time the plans were under consideration of solving the problem to find the Legion a home.
     On June 21, 1950 a new American Legion Hall was dedicated.  The building was located next to the alleyway west of the Safeway Building on 100 South.      The building at one time had been the body shop for the Shuler Motor that was located to the east and it had later been part of the old Payson City Shops.  It had undergone extensive alterations to make it suitable for all civic and social occasions.  The remodeling of the building exceeded $17,000.  The building, owned by Payson City was leased to the American Legion and was available to all civic groups for club meetings, banquets, and dances.
    The American Legion Post 48 called the building on 100 South home for the next 32 years.  In 1982, Payson City Council voted to tear down the Legion Hall which was city owned.  In August of that year,  Mayor Gary Tassainer gave the Legion officials notice that the lease for the building would not be renewed.  The city was planning on placing a parking lot on the location of the Legion Hall and the old Wilson Feed building located just to the west of the Legion Hall.  Since the Legion Hall’s demise, the Post has held meetings in various locations in the city.