Mt. Angel American Legion Post 89
Mt. Angel Post #89 was chartered August, 1934, with 26 members. A Salem architect designed the building in 1935. It was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) about 1936, and formally dedicated about 1938.
Construction of the building was about to begin, or had started, when it was said that Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects can only be on government entity properties.
The property was owned by the Mount Angel Abbey. The Abbey sold the footprint of the building plus five feet to Marion County for $10. Thereafter building was owned by the Post, the property by Marion County.
Some of the services the Legion provides to the community include: the placing of the American flag throughout town during holidays and at each veteran’s gravesite on Memorial Day; providing a color guard for veterans’ memorial services, parades and celebrations and the sponsorship of scholarships.
Read more here - Legion Presented with Special Service Award
We collect unserviceable flags, year around, for appropriate disposition on Flag Day. Call 503-845-2400 or 503-845-6119 for pickup.
Meetings
6:30 PM on the first Tuesday of every month,
(no meetings in July & August)
All veterans welcome.
Meet at the Legion Hall
740 E College St
Mt. Angel, OR 97362
Contact and Membership information:
Jim Kosel, 503-845-6119
Flag Dates & Special Events
Martin Luther King Birthday
3rd Monday in January
Presidents’ Day
3rd Monday in February
National Vietnam War Veterans Day
March 29
Armed Forces Day
3rd Saturday in May
Last Monday in May
Flag Day
June 14
Independence Day July 4
Oktoberfest
Second Weekend after Labor Day
Veterans Day November 11
Hello people, I am Gus the Gobbler. I have been asked
to be the spokes turkey for the Mt Angel American Legion's 79th annual Turkey Shoot.
There have been a few changes. The event will be one day only
this year November 16th, at 2:00pm. It’s new name is Turkey
Shoot/Card Games for Gobblers.
We’ll still have the Bingo upstairs’ with a few new games for kids, Lego table, puzzles and a coloring contest with Spaghetti being available.
The regular refreshments will be available down stairs, plus the poker games and 31.
Just for the fun of it, I will be telling some of the stories of the past 79 years of Turkey shoots.
Gus the Gobbler here,
This story is a hoot! Seventy-five years ago a young couple
entered the Legion Hall for a fun filled evening of Bingo and cards.
The wife was playing Bingo with her eye on a prize of a rabbit
cookie jar. Her husband was downstairs playing cards.
As the evening moved on she was experiencing mild labor pains, she was pregnant with their first child. She wouldn’t leave without the rabbit!
BINGO, she won the cookie jar and delivered a baby girl later that night. When the baby was old enough to get around, she broke that jar! Just think she could have been the first “Mt Angel Turkey Shoot” baby!
Gus the Gobbler here.
Some years we have teams, husband and wife playing together.
This will up their chance of winning.
The competition is on, how many birds can they win?
He is the quiet type, takes the win with a smile.
She gets in the game, if she needs another ACE to win the hand, she’ll yell ACE, ACE, ACE, while slamming her hand on the table. Smiling from ear to ear
when she wins, this method works for her, she goes home with a flock!
Gus the Gobbler here,
Once the World War II veterans came home,
the Turkey Shoots were a wild nights of drinking, smoking and enjoying their friends.
The firemen would arrive all together for a fun filled night.
Trays of refreshments were taken around the smoke filled room. Hamburgers, chips and hot dogs were flying out of the kitchen.
Two hundred or more birds were won by lucky chaps.
Bingo upstairs had full tables of Grandmothers and mothers winning prize money.
The veterans put in hours of work preparing for two days
of raising the roof. Our World War II Vets knew how to party, taking days to recover.
Grab Grandma and the kids to join the veterans for a fun
filled day November 16 at 2:00 pm,
come down and yell BINGO!
Gus the Gobbler here.
About twelve years ago a young single fireman came to win a bird or two. He was enjoying the refreshments while keeping his eye on the prize, TURKEYS.
After two days of playing and enjoying the noisy bantering he discovered he had won 21 games! He loaded 12 birds in his trunk and took the others in pepperonis and Oktoberfest brats. While loading his car he was asked ”what will you do
with 12 birds?"
“Open my truck and give one to every family member in town.”
Mt Angel had a good Thanksgiving that year and the single Fireman had a full freezer for years to come!
Gus the Gobbler here.
In the seventies and eighties, there were two days of poker games, smoking until you couldn’t see across the
room with refreshments flowing.
Games could last until late Sunday.
Today, we have no smoking in the building. You place
your $4.00 on the table, and if you win that hand
you have won a bird or Oktoberfest brats or pepperoni.
The cards are dealt up so no guessing who won!
All the meats are frozen and ready for your freezer.
We have Bingo upstairs, puzzle table, coloring table
and a coloring contest with prizes.
You win half the pot taken in for that Bingo game.
Bingo is 25 cents a card per game.
Come down to our 1936 building, place your $4.00 down and
take a chance to win. Plus enjoy a plate of spaghetti, November 16, at 2:00 pm there will be refreshments for those to wet their whistle.
Gus the Gobbler here.
In the 80’s Post 89 had a retired Army Colonel join the Legion.
When the members mentioned the turkey shoot
at a meeting , he volunteered. Why not, he was familiar
with fire arms and shooting turkeys sounded like a challenge.
He was bewildered when the cards were placed on the table,
no firearms in site, or live turkeys.
So, many; don’t know the Turkey Shoot is not open range shooting.
Leave your guns at home and join us for a family game night,
November 16, 2:00 pm.
Gus the Gobbler here,
American Legion Turkey Shoot games are played
with the cards dealt face up. Knowing that no poker
skills are needed to win a turkey, first timers find it
easy to walk out with a bird!!
Gus the Gobbler here.
An officer for the city of Mt Angel approached a small
group of members of the American Legion.
They were preparing for an up coming Turkey Shoot.
The officer said “there will be no killing of birds in MY town”.
The veterans responded “oh, we don’t kill birds, we play poker”.
With that the officer said “there will be no gambling
in MY town”. Not missing a beat one veteran said
“then maybe we need a new officer, in OUR town.
Only in Mt Angel!
Gus the Gobbler here.
Stories of early turkey shoots are fun to hear.
A small town with 79 years of the same event is almost unheard of, but over the years things have changed. No more shotguns or farm fields.
In the 1960’s the American Legion had a few raffles
during the Turkey Shoot. You could play a poker game and not win a bird, but go home with a TV or even a shotgun.
One lucky guy in town won a shotgun, but being a family
man, he returned the shot gun to Bochslers for a washing machine.
HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE!
Gus the Gobbler here...Let’s take a look at the first few turkey shoots. The year was 1940. Mt Angel had about 1200 population. The building for the American Legion was only four years old. It even had indoor plumbing!
The World War I vets came up with the details for the first Turkey Shoot. They were held in a farm field North of town. The veterans had the back of their trucks full of refreshments. No need for a trip to Gallon House bridge, they could buy a good supply at the local store!
I can see it now. Farm trucks parked at one end of the field with town folks and farmers arriving with their shotguns over their shoulders. Everyone was up for the challenge. Clay pigeons were shot out of the air and the total for each competitor was documented for the turkey winner.
This must have been a blast!
Turkeys were delivered to the winner’s home the day after the event. Not only did they win a bird but they had bragging rights for a year! Outstanding shotgun skills were a badge of honor.
Gus the Gobbler here...In the past few weeks I have searched for earlier Turkey Shoot stories. Rumor is Woodburn, Scotts Mill, Brooks, Silverton, Stayton, Sublimity, Gervais and Mt Angel residents enjoyed a beverage made from hops!
When this beverage is consumed in large quantities one can get very LOUD and HAPPY.
In the 40’s 50’s and 60’s the large amount purchased at the Turkey Shoot was a guarantee of a successful event.
Nothing could top having a headache and finding a two day old uncooked TURKEY in your truck!
Here’s to all the party people!
