A Brief History of
Estes Park Post 119
Chartered on August 1, 1920
The first recorded minutes of Post 119 are dated May 10, 1920. Sixteen veterans attended the meeting called to order by Roland Reed.
The proposed constitution and by-laws were read and a discussion and election of the first Post Officers followed. The results were as follows:
Commander - Roland Reed
Vice-Commander - Albert Hayden
Chaplain - Charles Anderson
Adjutant - Robert Lindley
Sergeant-at-Arms - Frank Bond
Finance Officer - Charles Hix
Historian - Julian Hayden
Also present were Alson Chapman, Roy Baldwin, Howard Cheney, Ralph Doud, John Sherman, Clifford Mantor, James Worthington, Dwight McDaniel, and James Manning, Jr.
The early meetings of the Post were held in the IOOF (International Order of Odd Fellows) hall. The Post received its charter on August 1, 1920 and the Auxiliary was formed in 1921.
The first Armistice Day remembrances were held in 1921 and the first of the annual breakfasts was held November 11, 1928. The breakfast has been served continually since then with the only exception being during World War II.
By 1940 the membership grew to 48 members.
The post purchased its present home from the Bureau of Reclamation, and the formal dedication was held on November 11, 1954.
The Post Home was placed on the Colorado List of State Historic Buildings on June 10, 1998.
At the Post meeting held on October 8, 2002, the membership voted to name the Post in honor of Estes Park native Capt. Joseph J. Duncan, Jr., who was a member of the 10th Mountain Division during World War II and who was killed in action in Italy on April 17, 1945.
The Post's present membership is 166 Legion members, 114 auxiliary members and 40 SAL members.
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