THEN AND NOW--AMERICAN LEGION HALL

    AMERICAN LEGION HALL

   The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veteran’s organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s  largest veterans service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans.
    The American Legion 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 sometime the plans were under consideration of solving the problem to find the Legion a home.  As a result they took an option on the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company boarding house at the old sugar factory that was located west of  town.   On May 11, 1940  they began to tear down the building and salvage the 40,00 bricks and other building materials.
    They had two plans under consideration at the time.   The first plan was to construct a 40 foot by 70 foot memorial home at the south end of the lawn area by the original swimming pool that was constructed in 1937.  A second plan that was favored by most was to build a large civic hall 60 feet by 120 feet on West Utah Avenue just west of the Chronicle Publishing Company.  This contemplated building would have an up-to-date ballroom, a full basement with a banquet room, kitchen assembly room and a billiard hall for men and ladies.
    Neither of these two plans ever came into being  due to many problems encountered by the American Legions members that had been working so hard to get a home for the organization.
     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.  There was an open house reception that was arranged by Commander Bill Snyder and Auxiliary President, Mrs. L. D. Stewart.  Glen Cowan, an American Legion member and a bishop of the LDS Payson Third Ward offered the dedicatory prayer.
  

    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.
    Upon entering the building, there was a large game room on one side of the hall and a meeting room on the other side.  At the rear of the building was a large room that could be used for dances or banquets.  The room could comfortably seat about 160 people.  There was also a large modern, well-equipped kitchen available in the building.
    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.

   The American Legion Auxiliary was organized about 1924.  The ladies in this organization were the wives of the veterans of the American Legion.
    Over the years, the local organization has been involved in many youth projects such as sponsoring young men to attend the Utah Boys State and young women to attend the Utah Girls State programs each year. 
    The legion members have been  involved in many patriotic events for many years.  Many members of the local legion post serve as members of the Honor Guard that honors veterans at  grave side services.  They perform the 21 gun salute, complete the flag ceremony and present the folded American flag to the veteran’s survivors.  They also arrange for TAPS to be played as a part of the program honoring the veteran.