Jan 7, 1919
The first two Clarke County soldiers to return from the battlefields of France since the armistice was signed, landed on American soil this week. Kenneth N Gilpin, a member of the House of Delegates representing Clarke and Warren Counties, is an officer in the Naval Flying Service and Corporal Ernest F. Locke, a member of Company H, 318th Infantry, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Locke near Berryville. Corporal Locke left a..

Jul 4, 1919
Between 5,000 and 6,000 people packed and jammed Berryville to pay homage to Clarke County's world war heroes. The veterans were given a royal time. They were welcomed to the town with music and a grand parade. They were dined in true old Virginia style, and made to feel that the people of the county hold them in grateful remembrance.

Sep 12, 1919
Encouraged by Major Henry W. Carpenter, U. S. Marine Corps, some of the returning Clarke veterans had already started discussions about forming a local post of the new American Legion. They saw this as an opportunity to provide the returning veterans with a support group and at the same time involve them in community service. On September 12, 1919, fifteen men signed a charter application for an American Legion Post in Berryville. It was to..

Sep 23, 1919
A temporary charter was issued on September 23, 1919 for Lloyd Williams Post 41 of The American Legion.

Oct 30, 1919
Major Henry W. Carpenter presided over the initial organizational meeting of the new post. Thirty veterans were present at the meeting and took part in the organizational work. Dr. Lewis M. Allen was elected the Commander of the new Lloyd Williams Post 41 of the American Legion. The other officers elected were Moses G. O’Brien, Vice Commander; Rice W. Levi, Sr., Finance Officer; and Leon D. Scheuer, Adjutant. Commander Allen was instructed to appoint a..

Nov 20, 1919
A committee was formed to encourage all returning veterans of the World War to join the new American Legion and make this Post a permanent organization of Clarke County. The recruitment notice described the Legion as an non-partisan and non-political organization of American veterans of the World War. It is a civilian organization, not military or militaristic. Nearly all of its members were civilians before the war and now civilians. It makes no distinction of..

Nov 22, 1919
The first fundraiser was a bazaar that netted over $500. This became an annual event for the next twenty years where citizens could do their early Christmas shopping.

Nov 30, 1919
The Constitution and By-Laws of Lloyd Williams Post 41 were approved on November 30, 1919. Members who joined the post prior to November 11, 1919 would be known as charter members. In addition to the fifteen signers of the charter application, another fifteen men were members of the post prior to November 11, 1919. Major Henry W. Carpenter was the first signer of the charter application and the only signer who was not a veteran..

Jul 12, 1920
Lloyd Williams Post 41 held a public meeting at the Court House to discuss the construction of a Community Building in Berryville. The meeting was conducted by Dr. Lewis M. Allen, the commander of Post 41. The building would serve as a memorial to the world war veterans, provide a place for all organizations and activities in the county, and be the home of the local National Guard Company.

Sep 5, 1920
Winston Hall was on East Main Street where the Bank of Clarke County driveway is now located. Built in 1881 by Siz Daingerfield, a black barkeep, it was named for singer, Jenny Winston. Upstairs was the largest meeting hall in the town and was used for entertainments and even school graduations; down stairs was the saloon. From 1920 until 1938, American Legion Post 41 used Winston Hall for its meetings. Griffin Taylor operated Winston Hall..

Nov 14, 1920
The American Legion Auxiliary of Post 41 was formed one year later in November 1920. The first president was Sara H. Elder. She was the wife of the Berryville postmaster and the mother of John Robinson Elder III, a veteran of World War I. There are no records available regarding whether or not it was officially charted by the Department of Virginia.

May 7, 1921
American Legion Post 41 sponsored a Berryville clean up. Members of the Legion and residents removed trash from the town run and other areas around the town. Legion members provided the trucks to haul away the trash.

Mar 1, 1922
Post 41 formed a non-stock corporation for the purpose of handling the finances associated with acquiring a meeting hall and eventually the construction of a Community Building. Jetson Fields Spates, a veteran of World War I and a cashier at the Bank of Clarke County, was elected as president of the American Legion Post 41 Corporation.

May 8, 1922
Post 41 purchased two adjourning lots at the southwestern corner of North Church Street and Academy Street for $3,700. The Berryville Post Office is currently located on these lots. One of the lots was purchased from Judge H. B. Whiting and included a two story building that had been used as his law offices. This building served as the first Legion Hall and also was used for meetings of other community organizations. Post 41 eventually..

Jul 4, 1923
Lloyd Williams Post 41 held a lawn festival and river party at Castleman's Ferry. There were about a thousand present with plenty to eat, lots of fun, boat riding, canoeing, and swimming. Electric lights were installed on the grounds for the occasion. Free transportation was provided to and from Berryville. This event evolved into an annual two-day fall Bazaar and Parade that included a Friday night parade up Main Street, Saturday home demonstration and crafts..

Aug 2, 1923
Lloyd Williams Post 41 has successfully adjusted the claims through the War Risk Insurance program of 95 World War veterans. The Legion will assist any war veteran in filling a claim with the Department of War Risk Insurance.

Apr 9, 1925
Robert W. Fuller, a World War I veteran and charter member of Post 41 died unexpectedly of appendicitis. Mr. Fuller was an extremely popular young man in the community and the Legion decided that he deserved a full military funeral. Since military funerals at that time were reserved for active duty personnel, Post 41 decided to form its own Honor Guard to conduct the funeral. The pallbearers and color guard were all Legionnaires while the..

Apr 4, 1928
Post 41 purchased two adjoining lots at the corner of North Buckmarsh Street and West Main Street for $7,000. This was the planned site for the new Community Building. A small building referred to as the Legion Hut was constructed on one of the lots. Beginning in 1928, this location was used for the Post's annual yard parties and other events. The lots were sold in 1938 for $9,500. Mario's Pizza is currently located on..

Jul 26, 1928
The Gene Tunney versus Tom Heeney heavy-weight boxing match was broadcast at the Legion lot at the corner of Main and Buchmarsh Streets. A radio with extremely loud speakers was set up in the Legion Hut to broadcast the fight blow by blow. All sorts of refreshments, sandwiches, ice cream, cake, soft drinks, coffee and the like were sold. Several hundred people gathered to listen to Tunney defeat Heeney.

Apr 4, 1929
In the spring of 1929, Berryville was the spring training home of a minor league baseball team from Pennsylvania. In response to an invitation from the Lloyd Williams Post 41, the Wilkes-Barre Anthracite baseball team spent two weeks in Berryville preparing for its season in the New York-Pennsylvania League. The Legion felt the hosting of the team would benefit the community at large with some good advertising and help promote tourism in the area. The..