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We would love to tell you more about the people that make up our American Legion post!

Also, if you scroll down, you will find a History of the American Legion.

American Legion Post 254 Johnstown

Our mission is to implement the goals, aspirations, dreams, peace, and blessings for our country, friends, and families embodied in our preamble below.

THE AMERICAN LEGION PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES TOGETHER FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:

TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE CONSITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER

TO FOSTER AND PERPETUATE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AMERICANISM

TO PRESERVE THE MEMORIES AND INCIDENTS OF OUR ASSOCIATION IN ALL WARS

TO INCULCATE A SENSE OF INDIVIDUAL OBLIGATION TO THE COMMUNITY, STATE, AND NATION

TO COMBAT THE AUTOCRACY OF BOTH THE CLASSESS AND THE MASSES

TO MAKE RIGHT THE MASTER OF MIGHT

TO PROMOTE PEACE AND GOODWILL ON EARTH

TO SAFEGUARD AND TRANSMIT TO POSTERITY THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY

TO CONSECRATE AND SANCTIFY OUR CAMRADESHIP BY OUR DEVOTION TO MUTUAL HELPFULNESS

For longer than anyone alive can remember, Post 254 owned the building at 44/46/48 S. Main Street in Johnstown.

It was purchased by WWI veterans and a few civil war veterans in 1920.

The Post sold that building and moved to the present location in June of 2013.

A lot of history is associated with the Post's old building.

The street level was always split into two halves.

One side was always rented as a bar, the other side, over the years, was rented to various businesses.

The location was once rented by the Johnstown Ban, which later moved across the street and changed the name to BancOhio, later National City Bank, then PNC Bank.

The building, over time, was also the location of a radio station (WWWJ), a Singer sewing machine shop, a patent medicine/soda fountain shop, and a variety store.

During those years when the street level was being rented to all those various businesses, the American Legion and the VFW both used the upstairs for their meetings.

During WWII, there was an observation tower on top of the building to allow townspeople to watch for enemy aircraft that might be trying to bomb the supply depot in Columbus now known as "DSCC."

Also, the town "fire alarm siren" was on top of the building at one time.

Advancing age caused many of the members some difficulty climbing the stairs, so the decision was made many years ago to move the Post home downstairs when the last downstairs renter vacated.

When that happened, the upstairs became a rental apartment.

For a dozen or more years prior to the Post selling the building, the upstairs was used only for storage.

Starting in 1920 with the first commander, C.D. Hughes, Post 254 has had 59 commanders serve in the 1-year term of office.

Of that total, seven have served 2 separate terms, and one had 3 separate terms.

Also, one commander served 2 consecutive terms, three served 3 consecutive terms, and one served 4 consecutive terms plus 1 separate term.

Post 254's new home at 180 West Maple Street in Johnstown, is only about 5 blocks from the previous location.

Long-time Johnstown residents know the location as the former "Johnstown Recreation Center."

Since moving into the location in 2013, the Post has made some changes: the former tennis court is now a parking lot, a "Wall of Honor" monument (honoring all veterans) has been built and is said to be the largest, non-governmental monument in the state of Ohio. Numerous other updates, repairs, and improvements have been made to the building and the grounds.

The building is available for hall rental when not being used for Post functions, and Post 254 allowed the building to continue to be used for voting several years just as it had been used previously until Johnstown decided to move the voting place to the village offices.