The old house at the intersection of South Main Street and Linden Avenue --- a block south of the southwest corner of the square --- was a worn out but respected landmark of Chariton's earliest days when it was taken apart and recycled during October of 1923.
Recycled because much of the lumber used to build it back in the 1850s was walnut, harvested and milled along Little Whitebreast Creek northeast of town. Recycled, too, because there was less waste 120 years ago than now.
But the young men who had organized Carl L. Caviness American Legion Post 102 during 1919 had purchased the building in 1920, intending to use it as temporary headquarters and then demolish it so that a new legion hall could be built on the lot.
By 1923, Chariton architect William L. Perkins had prepared plans for the new building and the decision was made to clear the lot that fall so construction could begin in 1924. Fund-raising was completed during the summer of 1924, excavation began in the early fall and during October, a year after the lot had been cleared, the cornerstone was laid for the new post home.
When the new building was finished, furnished and dedicated during 1925, this image of the old house --- framed in walnut lumber reclaimed from the structure --- was installed as a remembrance. The "new" Legion Hall remains in use nearly a century later, as Veterans Day approaches in the fall of 2022, but the old photograph now hangs in the library of the Lucas County Historical Society Museum.
And I was happy the other day to stumble across a report in The Herald-Patriot of Oct. 4, 1923, that told as much of the old house's history as could be discovered at the time. So here's the text of that article, published under the headline, "Post Home Was an Old Landmark." I'll have more to say another time about Mary C. Hall, owner of the building during almost 30 of its best remembered years.
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The home of the Carl L. Caviness Post, American Legion, an early landmark in Lucas County, is this week being torn down. With it go the associations of many years, in fact the activities which centered around this building date back to the fifties. The old structure is to be removed to make room for a new, modern Legion Hall. It has weathered the storms and served well its purpose. It has lived long, yet has not become old in the sense of usefulness. Now it must give up its place.
The early history of this house is vague. In fact, considerable search and inquiry fail to bring to light the year of its erection. While different and conflicting statements have been made as to the date of construction, it is known that the house was built before 1860. It has been said by some that a structure had its place on this lot as early as 1846. However, this is not borne out by records, which show that no entry was made on this or any land in the vicinity nor was there any activity here until the late forties. The tract in which this particular lot, lot one in block 18, original town of Chariton, is situated was not entered until 1852. It is believed that Dr. Wyatt Waynick in the early fifties erected the building which has since occupied the corner. the lumber for the building was native in Lucas county and came from the farm of J. C. Maloney on Little Whitebreast Creek in English township. The weather boarding in this building, it has been found, is most all of walnut. Some white pine was obtained for rafters, local builders say.
According to records, this lot was granted by the County Judge of Lucas County on December 6, 1852, to Elijah K. Robinson. In 1854, it was granted by Mr. Robinson to Joseph Headly. In the same year, Wm. McDermott came into possession of the land. In 1855 the lot was transferred to Beverly Searcy. In that same year, the title was given to Jacob Wiant. Again in the late fall of that year another transaction took place and the lot passed once more into the possession of Joseph Headly who on the same day give deed for this description to Alcana Malone. This was a year in which land changed hands rapidly, and within another month, in this same year, 1855, the title was given to Joshua P. Chapman.
In 1856, the land was granted to Samuel W. Walthall. In 1860, Daniel Shamburg became owner. It passed from him in 1863 to Mary C. Hall. The title was held by Mrs. Hall for nearly 28 years, or until July 13, 1891, when the owner became Isaac M. Funk. On April 1, 1914, Mr. Funk and wife sold the lot to J.E. Holmberg. Up to this time the lot had been transferred each time in its original length of 165 feet. No divisions or separations had been made by its owners.
On January 5, 1918, J. E. Holmberg and wife sold the west seventy feet to Henry Hand. The east ninety-five feet were sold on December 16, 1920, to Carl L. Caviness Post No. 2, American Legion, Department of Iowa. The local Legion still holds the corner site. The west seventy feet of the original lot has since passed into the hands of C.H. and E.E. Webb.
Thus the story of book entries is brought from nearly three-fourths of a century past to date. It is believed that several court records figure in the history of the land, although these are not indicated on the records from which the above figures were taken. Only the dates which marked certain changes in the passing years, however, are cited on the books. Nothing is told in these records of traditions, memories and accounts which attach in the minds of older residents to this place on the corner of Main street and Linden avenue. The house when erected became known throughout the country as a place of shelter for the traveler and as a boarding house in the later years --- yet the object of appreciation by now older citizens who regularly patronized the table of Mrs. Hall.
It is said that this house of hewed lumber was a regular boarding place for juries. In the sixties and seventies, there were but one or two other eating houses here. In fact, the only other place which catered to the traveler or Lucas county trader was a combined saloon and restaurant which according to the information flourished for some years. On some weekend days, it is told, 40 or 50 Lucas County families would gather to eat at the noon meal time at the corner home.
The possession was taken of the home by the local Legion post on Armistice day, 1920. All energies of the organization on this day were turned to the work of repairing and furnishing the home of future meetings and activities. The day, a memorable one and the second anniversary of an event in which Legion men find not a little importance, was therefore spent in Chariton not in marching in parades but in handling hammers, saws and paint brushes for a general renovation of the place. Vast improvements were wrought in general appearance throughout the interior and the building was brought to the state of comfortable quarters. This, however, was temporary.
The Chariton organization of the Woman's Relief Corps, the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the American Red Cross at the invitation of the post all made use of the home during the several years that the headquarters were here established.
The old structure has been sold by the post to local parties who will make use of all fit materials. Work is now under way on the tearing down of the building.
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