In early July 1931, World War I veterans from Highland, California applied for a post charter to the American Legion. The charter was issued by the National American Legion Headquarters on September 9, 1932.
Application for Post of The American Legion
Post 421
July 22, 1932
The charter was issued by the National American Legion Headquarters on September 9, 1932.
Charter for Post 421
Issued September 9, 1932
Post 421 is part of American Legion District 25 which comprises San Bernardino County. The county is geographically the largest county in the United States. There are 30 districts in California and under the California District. Each state comprises a separate American Legion Department. There are also departments located overseas.
In all, there are about 14,900 posts worldwide under leadership of the National Commander and the National Staff.
The American Legion was founded in 1919 by veterans of the Great War, World War I, and incorporated by Congress in 1919. It was formed as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness.
There are more than 2.3 million members of the Legion, making it the nation’s largest wartime veteran’s service organization.
At its founding, the post did not have a building of its own, so the members held their meetings in the Knights of Pythias Hall, a fraternal organization, on Main Street, in Highland, CA. These meetings were later moved to the Highland Women’s Club, whose members met at the Highland Library on the NE corner of Palm and Main Street. The building now belongs to the Highland Baptist Church, 6939 Palm Avenue, Highland, CA 92346.
In 1941, the Post members began construction of a new building at its present location at 28309 East Highland Avenue. At the onset of World War II, on December 7, 1941 construction was halted because so many members went to war.
After the end of the war, members resumed construction of the building in 1946. It was a modest, single frame, one-room facility that still houses the canteen.
Highland, California was founded as a townsite in 1891 and for decades, was a major citrus growing area for the country. It incorporated as a California general law city in November 1987. Its current size is approximately 18 square miles, and the 2010 population was 50,000.
Meeting at Post 421 are, veteran members of the American Legion; Squadron 421 of the Sons of the American Legion, chartered March 13, 1991; and Highland Unit 421 of the American Legion Auxiliary, chartered March 27, 1934
Post 421 as it appeared on June 6, 2015
