American Legion Post #6 History[1]
1919 - American Legion concept and name is developed in France by several General Officers.
2/1/1919 - R. M. Plaster wrote letter published in the Times Journal asking for veterans interested in joining and announced the first meeting in March 1919.
3/1/1919 - Dubuque American Legion held its first meeting in the Dubuque Library.
4/20/1919 - Iowa American Legion held a meeting in Des Moines, and it was attended by several from Dubuque
5/8-10/1991 - Richard M. Plaster, Joseph Ham and W. L. King attended the first American Legion National Caucus in St. Louis, Missouri.
5/12/1919 - World War Veterans Association of Dubuque voted to become American Legion
15 members of planning committee first met at Dubuque Commercial Club (10th and Main, became the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce in 1920, and building was torn down in 1964 as part of urban revitalization)
5/26/1919 - Held first election with Commandant Carlos Van Saun. They considered naming the post after either Private Carl Beversdorf (1st Dubuquer killed in France) or Sergeant Matthew Spautz (1st Dubuquer to receive the Distinguished Service Cross), but neither were selected, and no one has ever been selected as of 2016. (see photo of newspaper articles of first commander and first offices)
8/22/1919 - 1st Membership drive signed up 100 new members the first day, with 400 by 8/24/1919, 500 by 8/26/1919 and 723 by 9/3/1919.
11/11/1919 - 1st National Convention in Minneapolis, MN had 18 delegates from Dubuque American Legion (then identified as part of 3rd Iowa District, and no Post #). It was reported that 2,000 attended the convention.
1920 - Lease was signed to occupy the second floor of the Dubuque Commercial Club for two years. (see photo of newspaper article showing room layout and information).
1/1/1920 - First Dubuque American Legion member to pay their 1920 dues as John Gallagher, who dedicated his payment on behalf of Ireland and hopes that Irish working men veterans of Dubuque would join. The annual dues were $2.50 and included a monthly newsletter. The newspaper article mentioned that anyone joining by 1/1/1921 would be considered a Charter member of Dubuque American Legion.
5/26/1920 - A resolution was passed naming American Legion Post #6 (identified in a 6/2/1920 letter to the Times Journal from the post).
1923 - Commander was John Rider Wallace
1925 - Commander was Charles G. Kretschmer
1927 - First Poppy sales drive (see photo of poppy and newspaper article)
1927 - Commander was S. N. Meyer
3/7/1928 - Les Societe 40 Hommes and 8 Chevux (40 & 8) Honor Society was formed with Chef de Gare H. C. Holloway
1928 - Commander was Don R. Sheldon
3/20/1929 - American Legion Post #6 sponsored a Drum Corps. (see 1930 photo of article)
4/6/1929 - American Legion Post #6 sponsored “Legion Nines” in the Junior Baseball League.
6/1/1929 - American Legion Post #6 mentioned at National Convention regarding the Mississippi River Float they built for use in parades (see photo of newspaper article)
1929 Commander was Harvey Lange
6/17/1931 - Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin held a State Commanders Conference at Post #6.
6/18/1931 - American Legion Post #6 hosted a Gala Event
6/25/1931 - American Legion Post #6 hosted a Drum Corps Contest with over 50 corps invited to attend, 12 that marched in the parade, and the top winner on 6/26/1931 was from Racine, Wisconsin. (see several photos of newspaper articles)
10/10/1942 - Commander was Charles Landow
1933 - Iowa State American Legion Conference was held in Dubuque, Iowa.
1935 - Post #6 moved to building at 4th and Main Street
1940 - Post #6 bought and moved to building at 4th and Locust Street
1966 - Post #6 sold the land to the D.A.L. Building Corporation, who leased the land after building demolition, to Shot Tower Inn (in 2016 it is still leased land and owned by Post #6 building corporation, a separate for-profit entity). The post had no building and leased space for meetings in the Page Hotel (4th and White Street) and then later from the Elks Club (7th and Locust Street, building later demolished and is now the Dubuque Museum of Art).
1976 - D.A.L. Building Corporation purchased the building at 1306 Delhi Street, and Post #6 continues to occupy and lease today (2016).
1983 - Iowa State American Legion Conference was held in Dubuque, Iowa.
1993 - Iowa State American Legion Conference was held in Dubuque, Iowa.
[1] This information came from a scrapbook that Nick Lucy obtained from a garage sale in Dubuque. It had news clippings from several papers (Dubuque Times-Journal, Des Moines Register, Dubuque Telegraphy Herald, and Dubuque News Leader) from 1919 to 1932.
