American Legion, Wheeling Post No. 1

American Legion Post No. 1, Wheeling, is the country's oldest legion chapter. Organized by Joe Reass, Tom Cummins, George Houston, P. J. McGinley, and Edmund Lee Jones, the group met at the Laconia building, on the night of March 1, 1919, to form a World War Veterans of America organization. What would become American Legion Post 1, Wheeling, proceeding the formation of the national American Legion, which occurred March 15, 1919, leaving Wheeling to lay claim to "Oldest Post in the U.S."

This claim of oldest American Legion Post chapter in the nation has been disputed, most notably by George Washington Post No. 1 in Washington, D.C. which was organized March 7, 1919, six days after the Wheeling men met.
▶ Read more about these disputes on Wheeling Post 1's website. 

Locations

▶ 1919-1920: Market Auditorium and Circuit Court rooms
▶ 1920-1926: former Schenk Building, 1130 Market St.
▶ 1926-1934: Peoples Bank Building, 12th and Main 
▶ 1934-1935: "Flat Iron" building, 16th and Main 
▶ 1935-1936: Odd Fellows Building, 12th and Market 
▶ 1936-1945: 727 Market St.
▶ 1945-19??: 1119 Chapline St.
▶ 19??-present: 86 16th St. 

Images

No images at this time. 

Newspaper Articles

▶ American Legion Post 1 Celebrates 50th Anniversary, March 1969, Wheeling Intelligencer, February 1969. 

Additional Resources

Materials in the Wheeling Room: (non-circulating, ask for access at the reference desk)
▶ Vertical File: American Legion, compiled by OCPL staff

Materials in the Library's Archives: (non-circulating, view by appointment only*)
*Call 304-232-0244 or send an email to make an appointment to view archival materials.
▶ American Legion Wheeling Post No. 1 records
▶ Archives vertical file: Wheeling Post 1, American Legion Baseball Team
▶ Beverly Fluty Papers, Box 1, Folder 4. (View finding aid for Fluty collection.)

Online resources:
▶ website: History of Wheeling Post No. 1, American Legion (http://www.wheelingpost1.com)