American Legion Hall celebrates 100 years
Independence landmark witness to county history
“it is the dim haze of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit.”
–
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Antoine Rivarol
Jan. 26, 2024, marked the 100th anniversary of the Independence American Legion Hall at 201 N. Edwards Street in Independence.
In celebration of this momentous occasion, staff of the Inyo County Free Library has collected research regarding the construction and early days of this historic building, utilizing archival issues of the Inyo Independent newspaper as a primary source.
The Mt. Whitney Chapter of the American Legion – a non-profit organization of US war veterans – was founded in January 1922. Its membership roster primarily included World War I veterans from Aberdeen, Independence, Manzanar and Olancha, with the previously established Lone Pine Legion folding into the Mt. Whitney chapter later that same year. The organization’s first goal was to create a building wherein they could conduct their monthly meetings, which would also be made available to the public for civic and community-related events.
Throughout 1922, the Mt. Whitney Legion undertook various fundraising efforts to gather funds for the desired meeting hall. In addition to sponsoring concerts, movie screenings, baseball games and dances, the Legion sold tickets for airplane rides at Independence in conjunction with the opening of the Inyo County Courthouse.
After six months of lobbying from Legion members, the Inyo County Board of Supervisors passed a special tax in June 1922 to provide $12,500 for the creation of the hall. An additional $4,200 had been promised from local citizens and businesses, creating a total budget of approximately $17,000 at the project’s inception.
Shortly after the supervisors’ approval, land for the hall was sold to the Legion by Mrs. Wallace Polk. She was the widow of Jesse Polk, a civic-minded southerner who briefly owned the Independence Drug Store but had died suddenly in Los Angeles
the year prior. Mrs. Polk sold the 50-foot-by-130-foot lot on the southwest corner of Edwards and Kearsarge Streets to the Legion for $1,600 ($29,000 in 2024 currency).
Construction plans were submitted Aug. 30, 1922, which were credited to the Butler Brothers of Los Angeles. However, the project stalled because no construction bids were received due to the miniscule budget. Additionally, the
Wattersons’ Inyo County Bank denied the organization a loan.
Plans and budgeting were revised in March 1923, with Lloyd Skinner of Lone Pine credited as the project’s final architect. A bid from Skinner & Honerlah for $13,487 was approved in July 1923, and their employees included Bud Meekum and Melvin Draper.
Construction began on the project by mid-October 1923, with the Inyo Independent noting that “the wall frame enclosing the concrete will soon be taken off. The heavy roof trusses are being put in place.” The building was reported as “nearing completion” by the end of December 1923.
The Independence Legion Hall was dedicated in a ceremony at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 26, 1924.
A large program of events was formulated, which began with Legion Commander Alex Krater addressing a crowd of 250 people in front outside the hall prior to the laying of building’s cornerstone.
Other activities included singing and more speeches. That evening, the hall saw basketball matches between the Owens Valley and Lone Pine High School boys and girls teams (with the Lone Pine girls and Owens Valley boys teams respectively prevailing). The night concluded with a dance that was scheduled to run from 9 p.m. until 3 a.m., with a charge of $2.50 to participate in the festivities.
The Independent reported that “During part of the night there were too many couples on the floor for comfortable dancing, and the new hall is by no means small.”
Throughout the years, thousands of this county’s citizens have benefitted from this historic building where so many of the community’s important events have taken place.
(Mike Sherk is a member of the Inyo County Free Library staff.)