The American Legion building, affectionately known as “The Hut,” has many memories for not only Chandler residents, but folks from around the area.
Steve Dowdy and his mother, Ivola Dowdy, reminisced about family reunions there. Ivola, who graduated from Kendrick and is in her 80s, said she started going to the building for dances back in the day before they began using it as a reunion spot.
“I got special memories of just all the older generations just fondly remember that place of being the place to get together and socialize and dance, have fun, and reminisce with the classmates and friends,” Steve said.
George Hicks, who’s been a member of the American Legion for about 30 years, has a long history with the buildings, starting from community events as a child in the ‘60s. He’s also helped with some of the maintenance since joining the Legion. More than that, he said it’s a place for veterans to meet other veterans.
“Not all healing is just from a pill or treatment. Sometimes healing is just associating with other people who have been through what you’ve been through and that you can tell each other it’s all right,” he said.
Nellie Caldwell, who is a member of the Chandler chapter of the American Legion Auxiliary, said it’s home.
“And even though there are a lot of people who did not grow up in this area, they still know that this is where we will be getting together. And so it’s been, it’s just one of those community mainstays, you know, that it’s, we know that it’s there and what it’s for,” she said.
The Hut has been around since 1933, according to its cornerstone. And it’s been used for many things over the years outside of being the home of the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, according to Patricia Mathis-Kerr, a member of the American Legion and a former commander of the post.
But time waits for no one and it’s starting to take its toll on The Hut.
Although it’s been maintained, Mathis-Kerr said, the building was designed to last a hundred years and not much more, and it’s almost there.
“It hasn’t had a whole lot of significant repair needs. I mean, it’s had roof maintenance, we had a build on, stuff like that. But, and even if it was maintained at tip-top shape all these years, it’s still going to need a massive repair,” she said.
A few years ago, the American Legion replaced all of the electrical. Currently, the roof has some structural issues that need to be taken care of, however, when that is done, they will need to look at the base, she said. And they aren’t sure what they will find. Some of the building is on concrete, but other parts may be on dirt, and if that’s the case, they’re dealing with rotten wood. Mathis-Kerr said the latest estimates for repairs are anywhere from $1 million to $1.5 million.
The American Legion andAmerican LegionAuxiliary have found themselves at a crossroads. Fix and manage, or demolish and rebuild. Unfortunately, neither option is cheap. Mathis-Kerr said the estimates to demolish and rebuild were about the same, if not more, than fixing.
“I don’t think a decision’s been made whether to fix or replace yet because of funding. It depends on what kind of funding that we can get.And like I said, we don’t have enough at all to cover it. We have enough to keep it open, keep utilities and stuff, but not replace or fix,” she said.
They currently have a fund at BancFirst. They are also planning to utilize a non-profit through the American Legion to receive funds donated by companies.
More than that, Mathis-Kerr said they are looking for ideas.
She’s hoping that the more people who know about the struggles of the building, the bigger the chance someone might come forward with ideas of where to go from here.
She said the American Legion isn’t just thinking about right now, but going forward in the future. The building has been such a community mainstay that they are focusing on how they can continue helping going forward, whether it’s opening up the doors during a natural disaster or being a place for family reunions.They also want to be a Veterans Center.
Replacing the building may get people up in arms initially, but it may also makesomehappy,thoughit will change things. Repairing will maintain, but it’ll cost a lot more, and they aren’t sure of the longevity. “As much as we would like to believe that these buildings can stand forever. Well, this one’s nearing its hundred. So, I mean, it’s done its job. The guys who had control and oversight over the building prior to this did a great job. Or it wouldn’t have lasted this long,” Mathis-Kerr said. “All the storms, all the weather, and all the years, they’ve done an outstanding job. But I don’t know if they understand that seeing it in its condition today.”
Caldwell hopes that they can find a way to salvage The Hut in a way that is financially responsible. But it’s also more than that.
“For me, I would like to, just for us to have a meeting place, a community place that once again we can call home,” she said. “My hope is that we can find that place and get on with the work that we’ve been assigned to do.”