From the beginning, the Post had a vision to build a memorial to their fallen comrades of the war. The vision soon took the form of a community building that would serve as a monument to their fallen comrades and at the same time provide a meeting place for the Legion and other civic, social, and recreational groups. Post 41 began the process of communicating this vision to the community and started raising funds toward that objective.

In June 1938, after almost two decades of trying to rally the financial support from local governments, grants, and community organizations, Lloyd Williams Post 41 finally decided to basically go it alone and build the best facility it could with the resources available. Post 41 sold its property on North Church Street for $5,000 to the United States Government as the site for a new post office in Berryville. The next month, the Post purchased a lot behind the old Battletown Inn on South Church Street for $2,100. The new Community Building would be built at this location.

In July 1939, the Lloyd Williams Post 41 Corporation issued $6,000 in local bonds for the construction of the building. These consisted of twenty $100 bonds and eight $500 bonds at 4% interest payable semi-annually on January 1 and July 1 of each year. The bonds were callable on the interest bearing date on 60 days prior notice. The bonds were handled by the Bank of Clarke County and the First National Bank of Berryville.

The construction of the Community Building was completed in five months at a cost of $12,500. A dedication ceremony was held on December 8, 1939 where the new building was presented to the citizens of Clarke County. For the first time, a facility was available for the civic, social, and recreational needs of the county. Lloyd Williams Post 41 had persevered over two decades to fulfill its original vision of a community building as a memorial to the veterans of World War I. However, the post now faced the task of not only retiring the debt but also insuring that funds were available to maintain and operate the building.

In 1941, Post 41 and other civic groups raised funds to built a playground on a lot next to the Community Building. Enough money was raised to build a swimming pool immediately behind the building.

After World War II, there was interest in building a memorial to the veterans of that war. After considering several ideas, Post 41 voted to enlarge the facilities of the Community Building as a memorial for Clarke County’s World War II veterans. This plan was also endorsed by the Lions Club and the Junior Women’s Club. In January 1949, Post 41 borrowed $16,500 from the Bank of Clarke County and the First National Bank of Virginia to finance this project. This included increasing the length of the building by about twenty-five percent so basketball games could be played in it. It also included improved kitchen and restroom facilities. The project was completed in the summer of 1949. Post 41 was now faced with the difficult task of paying off this new mortgage. It would take another sixteen years to pay off this debt.

In order to make the mortgage payment and operate the Community Building, the Legion needed to raise about $4,000 each year. This required a commitment of time and energy to several ongoing fundraising activities. The National Guard also contributed to the revenue by renting space in the building. In June 1965, a bond burning ceremony was held to celebrate the final mortgage payment on the building.

Up until the late 1960s, the Community Building was the only facility in the county large enough for many social, civic and recreational activities. However, with the opening of the social hall at John H. Enders Fire Department, the Ruritan Club’s building at the fairgrounds, and the new consolidated high school, the use of the Community Building started to decline. Then in 1983, the local National Guard unit moved to the armory in Winchester. This significantly reduced the revenue needed to maintain and operate the building.

In 1983, the swimming pool was removed at a cost of $2,625 and the area was reseeded with grass. A few years later, the playground and tennis courts were removed and replaced with a parking lot.

The Community Building was now rarely used by other community groups and the Legion faced the issue of what to do with the building. In 1991, Post 41 signed a multi-year lease agreement with Dollar General to use the building as a retail store. Post 41 still meets in this basement meeting room.

The next time that you visit the Dollar General Store, you might want to pause for a few moments and reflect on the historical significance of this building. Listen to the echoes from the past, the sounds and memories of teen dances; roller skating parties; plays; vaudeville shows; community dinners; bazaars; basketball games; blood drives; bingo; turkey shoots; people gathering around the community radio listening to championship boxing bouts; Friday night dances with music by the Kountry Krackers with lead singer Patsy Cline; and children telling Santa Claus what they want for Christmas. These are just a few of the many activities held in this grand old building. For nearly fifty years, it was everything and more envisioned by the early leaders of Post 41. It served as the center for most civic, social, and recreational activities conducted in this county. It was generously provided to the citizens of Clarke County by Lloyd Williams Post 41.

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