Mathews Post 83, It was first chartered as Mathews-Gloucester Post 83

Andy Robertson, Past Commander, Past 3rd District Commander, Past Department Commander. First Department Commander in the nation to ride for the Legacy Run . Andy was instrumental in starting up the VA Veteran's Care Centers in Salem and Richmond. He Established the Post Honor Guard and Rifle Team in 1986 while Post Commander. We began our 1st Sunday "World Famous Breakfast Fundraiser" under his watch. A. Tommy Lewis, Media & Communications, Honor Guard Rifle Team Leader. Past:Service Officer,Commander, Adjutant, Finance Officer and Past District, Region and Department Legionnaire of the Year 2004. Thomas Mangrum, WWII, member 751st Tank Battalion "Black Panthers."

1919 – 1929: Members met at the Fraternal Order of American Mechanics Hall on Main Street. 1930 – 1973: The Post met in the Mathews Memorial Library on Church Street which it dedicated in honor of the county men who fought and died in WW I. The Legion meeting room was not open to the public. Post 83 donated $500 in 1920 to begin the project. Mathews County later approved funds for the library as we did not have one at that time. 1986: The Honor Guard was established to conduct Military Funeral Honors for the families of Veterans in Mathews County because the Military Services were no longer able to provide full military details. 10 – 20 funerals are conducted annually. Mathews Post 83 also began its 1st Sunday “World Famous Community Breakfast” fundraiser that year. In 2003 M-1 Garand rifles replaced the 1917 bolt action rifles. 1974 – Present: The Post Home: Mathews Post 83, The American Legion has been located at 73 Hookemfair Rd, Hudgins, Virginia in Mathews County since 1974. Purchased in 1969, the original structure housed the Hookemfair General Store, Post Office and Polling Place. From ’69-’74 under the supervision of Comrade Brooks Hudgins, members worked on Wednesday evening and Saturdays to complete the expansion. About half of the construction materials were acquired from WW II barracks that were dismantled at nearby Fort Eustis. The East and West dining rooms were added to the main hall. One inch steel pipe suspended from the Attic floor joists replaced the original beams supporting the second floor. A large brick fire place was built in the main hall which included a new oak floor. A commercial kitchen, bathrooms, upstairs museum and canteen were constructed and a new front porch and vinyl siding was added to the outside of the building. In 2006 the 29 wooden framed windows were all replaced with vinyl double glass, energy efficient windows.