Title: American Legion. Fletcher-Pechacek Post 121: Auxiliary and Post Records
Inclusive Dates: 1922-1997

Creator:

• American Legion. Fletcher-Pechacek Post 121 (River Falls, Wis.)

Call Number: River Falls Mss AJ

Quantity: 2.0 c.f. (4 archives boxes and 1 flat box)

Repository:

Housed at the University Archives and Area Research Center, Chalmer Davee Library, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, ; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-River Falls, Chalmer Davee Library / River Falls Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Records documenting the activities of a local post of the American Legion, mainly the Auxiliary, including community service projects, aid for veterans and their dependents, post building bonds and promotion of the annual “poppy drive.” The collection contains minutes, reports, correspondence, financial records and scrapbooks including photographs and news clippings.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-rf00aj

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The American Legion Auxiliary is a civilian organization open to mothers, sisters, wives and daughters of all men and women who have served in the military. The Auxiliary was chartered in 1919 as a nonpolitical organization whose objectives were to “uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States...to preserve the memories and incidents of our association during the [war]...and to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation.”

The Albert Harvey Fletcher Post 121, named after the first commissioned officer from River Falls to die in World War I, was chartered in 1922. After five meetings the Post was inactive for nearly a year until April 1923. In 1945, the Post's name was changed to the Fletcher-Pechacek Post, in honor of Ermin J. Pechacek, the first person from River Falls to lose his life in World War II. The post is actively involved in community service, aid to veterans and their dependents, and promoting the annual “poppy drive.”

The collection contains minutes, reports, correspondence, photographs and news clippings pertaining to the organization, administration and activities of the Auxiliary and the Post's financial records. Originally the collection was bound in loose-leaf folders, and this original organization has been retained. The collection is arranged in four series: Minutes, History and Activities, Scrapbooks and Post Financial Records.

The MINUTES, 1935-1939, 1947-1997, either typewritten or handwritten, contain administrative and financial information, as well as membership lists of the Auxiliary. In addition to the regular meeting minutes, this collection contains minutes from the Past Presidents Parley meetings from 1947-1951 and from its reorganization in 1963 through 1972. The Past Presidents Parley organized the Gold Star Mothers banquet, assisted in the membership drives, assisted needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas, sewed for the veterans hospital and gave money to the veterans Christmas gift shop.

The material contained in HISTORY AND ACTIVITIES, 1922-1965, 1983-1987, varies considerably in content. As nearly every volume included a history of the Post, there is much duplication, but all material was retained in order to preserve the continuity of the series. Membership and officer lists of the Auxiliary are found, as well as many photos. Also included are the reports of various Auxiliary committees such as child welfare, gold star women, civilian defense, rehabilitation and poppy drive. Such volumes contain a subject index. After 1955 the reports occur annually and are more regular in form.

The SCRAPBOOKS, 1923-1936, 1943-1945, 1965-1966, 1977-1979, 1982, undated consist of those compiled by the Auxiliary. One early scrapbook contains publications, some correspondence, news clippings, and information on the activities of the Post. Volumes entitled “In Memoriam” and “Husbands, Brothers and Sons in War” include photographs and news clippings largely about servicemen in World War II. Another scrapbook contains photographs and news clippings pertaining to the Post's 25th Anniversary. This collection also includes Publicity books (1965-1966, 1977-1979, 1982, undated) which contain news clippings [photocopied] about the Auxiliary taken from local newspapers and prayer books put together by the Auxiliary and the Junior Auxiliary (n.d.).

The FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1925-1928, document the raising of funds for the building of a Legion Hall through bond sales. Included are two account books, one being a voucher register that contains a record of all transactions made for building construction. In addition, the financial records include bond subscriber lists and copies of mortgage bonds. Of particular interest is a bank statement included with the voucher register from the First National Bank of River Falls with an illustration of the falls on the Kinnickinnic River in 1927.

Acquisition Information

Presented by the American Legion Auxiliary, Fletcher-Pechacek Post 121, River Falls, via Mrs. Letha Foster and Mrs. Betty Kuss, River Falls, Wis., 1973, 1987-1988 and Donna Arne, River Falls, Wis., 1987-2001 [1987-1988 additions not accessioned at State Historical Society headquarters]. Accession Number: M73-497, M2002-165

Processing Information

Processed by Bruce Bruemmer and Menzi Behrnd, September 30, 1978 and Amy Rommel, 2002.

	Series: Auxiliary Minutes
Box   1 Folder   1	October 1935-August 1939
Box   1 Folder   2-10	1952-1997
Box   1 Folder   11	Past Presidents Parley, 1947-1951, 1963-1972
	Series: Auxiliary History and Activities	⇧
Box   2 Folder   1-7	1922-1938, 1942-1954
Box   3 Folder   1-7	1955-1965, 1983-1987
	Series: Auxiliary Scrapbooks	⇧
Box   3 Folder   8-9	1922-1936
Box   3 Folder   10	“In Memoriam,” 1943-1945
Box   3 Folder   11	“Husbands, Brothers and Sons in War,” 1943-1945
Box   4	25th Anniversary, 1944
	Publicity Books [photocopied]
Box   5 Folder   1	1965-1966
Box   5 Folder   2	1977-1979, 1982, undated
	Prayer Books
Box   5 Folder   3	undated
Box   5 Folder   4	Junior Auxiliary, undated
	Series: Post Financial Records	⇧
Box   5 Folder   5	Mortgage contract and bond report, 1925-1926
Box   5 Folder   6	Bond subscribers lists, 1925-1928
Box   5 Folder   7	Bond certificates, 1925
Box   5 Folder   8	Building and bond account book, 1925-1928
Box   5 Folder   9	Voucher register, building and bond account, 1925-1927