History of American Legion Post 6, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (1919–Present)
Founding and Early Years (1919–1931)
The large number of veterans returning from WWI and attending UNC was a motivation to start a local chapter. Shortly after the National American Legion was established by Congress, Post 6 was chartered on August 28, 1919 with its bylaws drafted on October 28, 1919, at a North Carolina American Legion convention in Raleigh. It was the first Post in the state and named Post 1. It was renamed Post 6 after North Carolina Department reorganized to assign Post No. 1 to the Raleigh headquarters. From its founding in 1919 to the present time, American Legion Post 6 in Chapel Hill has served as the first and only continuously operating Post in North Carolina.
The charter officers:
- Henry V. Koonts – Chairman
- Henry A. Whitfield – Vice Chairman
- Luther J. Phipps – Secretary-Treasurer (later NC Department Commander)
- Carl T. Durham – Member Executive Committee (U.S. Representative)
Initial meetings were held in various local schools. In spring 1931, members built a log cabin with basement on Carl and Sam Durham’s property, at W. Rosemary Street Chapel Hill, near the current Bank of America building. This became the Post’s home through the Great Depression, New Deal, Fair Deal, WWII, the Korean War, and beyond.
Growth and Relocations (1931–1955)
The log cabin served as a meeting place for decades, symbolizing resilience and community spirit. In 1955, the post sold its home and moved to a country property on dairy pastureland at 1714 Legion Rd. This relocation reflected the post’s evolving needs and the changing landscape of Post operations. The Post acquired a naval field artillery piece manufactured in 1898, which has been refurbished and is located at the current Post location.
The Legion Road Era and expansion (1955–2015)
The 1955 Relocation: Seeking room to expand, the post sold its downtown Rosemary Street property to fund a new facility. Post 6 relocated to 35 acres of isolated dairy pastureland outside the town center, constructing a new headquarters on what became known as Legion Road.
Post-WWII Growth: The post experienced a surge in membership from World War II and Korean War veterans, many of whom attended UNC under the GI Bill.
Urban Encirclement: Over sixty years, the “country setting” disappeared as Chapel Hill expanded. The 35-acre plot became completely surrounded by residential developments, schools, hotels, and office complexes. Post 6 grew into a prominent fixture within the Department of North Carolina. It produced numerous district leaders and two Department State Commanders and North Carolina Politicians.
Centennial Transition and Operation of New Post Home (2016–present)
In 2016, a Post committee was formed and determined that the aging Legion Road building required more than $500,000 in repairs to meet modern building codes. Rather than sinking funds into the aging facility, the Post 6 Legion Family voted almost unanimously to capitalize on their valuable land and build a modern facility. After a developer dropped their offer to purchase due to not getting government approval for the requested density build, the Town of Chapel Hill purchased the Legion Road property. In 2017 Post 6 used the proceeds to acquire 126 acres of pristine farmland and rolling woodlands in Orange County and finished construction in 2019. The new facility was designed to serve future veterans and, to help maintain financial independence, to double as a premium community event space. The new Chapel Hill Post became well known throughout the American Legion. It hosts local weddings, galas, and corporate events across its ballroom, modern meeting rooms, and lakeside gazebo. The Current Post is located at 3700 NC Highway 54 West, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.
