One hundred years ago, on August 8, 1925, Riverside Post 79 laid the cornerstone for a clubhouse on the shores of Lake Evans. Seven months later, on April 9, 1926, the building was completed and dedicated. One hundred years later, that historic clubhouse still proudly stands and serves the present members of the local American Legion.
World War I ended with the armistice signed by the Allies and Germany on November 11, 1918. A few months later, on March 15-17, 1919, members of the American Expeditionary Force gathered in Paris to set up an organization for veterans. On May 8-10, a gathering was held in St. Louis, and the official name of the American Legion was adopted, along with a draft of a constitution. The United States Congress officially chartered the American Legion on September 16, 1919. The American Legion was founded.
Emblem of the American Legion. (Courtesy of the American Legion Website)
Communities across California quickly jumped in. By early July, more than 30 posts had been organized in the state, serving over 140,000 veterans from the recent war. The veterans in Riverside were not far behind. In early October, the Riverside Service Men's Club merged into the newly formed Riverside Post of the American Legion. About a week later, on Wednesday, October 15, American Legion Post 79 voted to accept the incorporation with 16 charter members. Those who joined before November 11 (Armistice Day) that year were also considered charter members. Plans were already in the works for a clubhouse, and a military ball on Armistice Day was a fundraiser for the building. Over the next few years, Post 79 and the Women's Auxiliary raised funds for a clubhouse.
Newly formed Lake Evans was dedicated on July 4, 1924, culminating in an evening of a boat parade and fireworks over the lake. Mayor Samuel C. Evans, Jr., in early 1923, had donated 40 acres of land adjoining Fairmount Park to add another lake. This was the third land donation from the Evans family to Fairmount Park. American Legion members viewed this new lake as an ideal location for their proposed clubhouse. Three pieces of property were offered to the club, two by Mayor Samuel C. Evans and one by Arthur H. Brown. The post in April 1925 accepted one of the parcels from Evans, consisting of three-quarters of an acre of land situated northwest of the lake. The deed was recorded on July 24, 1925, and construction started.
Map showing the location (#11) of the American Legion Clubhouse near Lake Evans. (Map Courtesy of Pat Stewart)
By the end of the month, the foundation was poured, and some of the walls were framed. Work progressed, and as the building rose, local members claimed it was the prettiest clubhouse in the whole Citrus Belt.
On Saturday, August 8, 1925, National Chaplain Joseph Lonergan presided at the laying of the dedication stone for the American Legion clubhouse and gave an inspiring speech. Mayor Samuel Evans, who had donated the land, expressed his pleasure at helping the Legion obtain it for their own clubhouse. Inscribed on the dark marble slab were the words: For God and Country, Riverside Post 79, The American Legion MCMXXV." Over 500 people attended and joined in singing "America" to open the ceremonies.
Photo of Dedication Ceremony Showing Chaplain Joseph Lonergan speaking. (Courtesy of American Legion Post 79)
The new clubhouse was formally dedicated and opened on Friday, April 9, 1926. Mayor J. T. Jarvis welcomed those attending and praised the Legion and the clubhouse as it "amplifies the forward spirit of the legion, and it was hoped that the citizens of Riverside might better appreciate the high level of the group of men who have banded together in time of peace for the furtherance of patriotic work." Samuel Evans, the land donor, introduced the guest speaker, National Adjutant James Barton. Several hundred people filled the auditorium of the new clubhouse for the dedication ceremony.
Over the past 100 years, since the dedication on April 9, 1926, many veteran social events have been held at the clubhouse, including dances, banquets, anniversaries, memorial services, and other community activities. The site continues to serve as a center for US military veterans.
From left: Photo of a Dance Held at the Clubhouse (Courtesy of the American Legion Post 79), Postcard Invitation for the Armistice Day Dance in 1937 at the American Legion Post (Author's Collection)
Since 1949, the members of the American Legion Post have cared for the "Water Buffalo" situated across the road from the clubhouse on the edge of Lake Evans. Many of the "Water Buffalo" or LVT (Landing Vehicle – Tracked) were built in Riverside at the Food Machinery Corporation plant. They were tested in Lake Evans. After the war, Riverside proposed obtaining one of these units for installation on the shore of Lake Evans. The Navy donated one of the "Water Buffalo," and on Armistice Day, November 11, 1949, the vehicle was dedicated.
Postcard of the Water Buffalo at Lake Evans. (Author's Collection)
One hundred years after the dedication on April 9, 1926, the clubhouse on the shoreline of Lake Evans in Fairmount Park still serves American Legion Post 79 and stands as a tribute to the veterans who have served our country.
Glenn Wenzel is a board member of the Riverside Historical Society, the Friends of Mount Rubidoux and the Riverside County Heritage Association. He is the author of two books on Mount Rubidoux.
