The first Post 240 meeting place was the Employment Agency portion of The King and Neblett building located at the junction of Washington & Belknap streets on the northwest corner of The Stephenville Courthouse Square. In the mid-thirties, Post 240 membership decided it was time they had their own meeting place. Fund raising began and money pledged by Post 240 members,coupled with a working arrangement and assurances from The NYA/WPA, the new construction project was begun. The project received a big boost when Post 240 members H.D. Dacus and W.A. Beene contacted a Mr. Cantrell of Santo and persuaded him to donate the present site of the Legion building. Plans for the new Post 240 building were drawn by architect Wyatt C. Hedrick of Fort Worth and Construction was supervised by Kenneth Stephens of Dublin. Groundbreaking was held in September 1938 with the Honorable Clyde Garrett, Congressman of the 17th Congressional District, turning the first spade of dirt. This Photograph of the event now hangs in Post 240 meeting room. The Post borrowed several loads of lumber from a Bastrop mill and construction was well underway when a NYA cost estimate engineer came seeking payment for lumber that was already a part of the structure. He informed Post members that the original estimated cost of $3000 would actually cost $6500. Post members sympathized with the NYA but it is believed NYA was held to its original estimate as construction continued unabated with the full co-operation of NYA. Post Construction was completed in 1940. With $1500 still due on the building, Post Commander, Emmett Moon (A former County School Superintendent and Postmaster of Stephenville) proposed a $50 pledge by as many Post 240 members as possible. Response by members enabled the debt to be finally retired. The final actual cash out-lay for the original building is estimated to be $6500 which does not include labor furnished by the NYA, land furnished by Mr. Cantrell and plans furnished by Wyatt Hedrick. Four local young members of the NYA who worked on the building during its construction would soon become Post 240 Legionnaires. All are deceased; Marvin Leatherman, Paul Darnell, I.G. Willis and Honorary Life member John B. Rogers, whose continous active service of 71 years is second only To Honorary life member Mickey Maguire's 73.
