On June 6, 1919 a meeting of returning soldiers, sailors and Marines living in Western Nobles County was held at the Opera House in Adrian. The Adrian American Legion was formed. The Legion was given the name of Argonne, as practically all the boys of western Nobles County had been in service in Argonne woods in Northeastern France. In World War I the United States Army fought and won a great battle there called the Battle of the Meuse Argonne. More than 1 million Americans fought in the Argonne Forest, and 117,000 American soldiers were killed or wounded. This was the last great battle of the war.
The Adrian group applied for their charter on June 13, 1919 and received their charter on June 24, 1919. The Legion held their first meetings on the 2nd floor of the Bratsburg and Entwisle store, what is now the Rumor Mill. In 1927 they bought the People’s church and held their meetings there until 1963 when Frank Leguil sold them the building on Maine for $1.00 and other considerations. Adrian hosted the first Nobles County American Legion Convention on May 7, 1969.
