Organizational History

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, servicemembers and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States. Membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts sprang up across the country. The Department of South Dakota received its charter on May 24, 1919.

Chester, current population 257, was the first Lake County town that was the result of the expansion of the South Dakota Central Railway. There are records of people living in the area as early as the 1870s but the town itself was not founded until 1905 when people of the township were told a town would be built if they gave a bonus to the S.D.C.R.R. Otherwise, the railroad said, they would build farther west. Told the railroad would come through before the end of 1905 or they would get their money back, area farmers, spearheaded by Louis Krumm and Lewis Spawn, quickly came up with the money. The railway kept its promise; the first train arrived in Chester on September 11, 1905. 

Both Krumm and Spawn were not only instrumental in establishing the town, but the American Legion in Chester years later as well—both names can be found on the original and second charter applications. The first Charter Application was filed in 1920, with John Potas serving as Commander.  Unfortunately, hard times hit the area shortly thereafter, and the charter was pulled for several years. Another application for Temporary Charter was put forward in 1930, with Otto Peterson at the helm. Permanent Charter was finally granted in 1963. The Post is currently sitting at an all-time high membership of 95, with some of those members still sharing blood ties with the gentlemen who started the Post nearly a century ago.