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Massapequa: My Hometown
for being a great fishing area and small game hunting grounds. MacLean was a very popular activist and community leader. Following several informal meetings with local veterans it was decided that MacLean should mail out form letters to the residents requesting military background information to ascertain interest in chartering a Post in the Massapequas. During a period of about two years, with unhurried planning and according to records, several of the veterans living here, 16 in all at that time wanted an American Legion Post in their new home town. A formal application for the Post of the American Legion, dated January 22, 1931, was filed in Albany, New York with the Department Headquarters. The member's first formal meetings were held in a small stuccoed building in the vicinity of Cedar Lane off Alhambra Road that they called "The Dugout" and a dance hall type restaurant known as the "Tee-Pee" located at the southwest corner of Park Boulevard and Sunrise Highway in Massapequa Park. A few years later the membership was able to purchase a vacant building with a large parcel of land located on the northeast corner of Ocean Avenue and then Brooklyn Avenue opposite the now CVS Plaza. The building was the former sales office for the Queens Land and Title Company during the days of the booming south shore real estate sales that was being advertised in New York city newspapers. The building was perfect for the Post at that time. The exterior was wood sided and resembled a Cape Cod type cabin. During those early years, the late 1930s and 1940s a variety of events were held weekends, the most popular were Saturday night teen dances. Young guys and gals would come from as far away as Farmingdale and Bellmore. I can still remember meeting my friends up on the loft dance nights, so we could look down on the dance floor to see who was coming in. Bingo started to catch on as a Post fundraiser and formal dinner dances attended by the Post members and veterans from throughout Long Island, along with an occasional wedding reception. Many years later, the Post moved from Brooklyn Avenue to its current home at 66 Veterans Blvd., opposite the Massapequa Railroad Station. The groundbreaking ceremonies were held November 8, 1953, with Post Commander John Atanat, Past Commander James MacLean and Building Committee Chairman Anthony Filete conducting the ceremonies. The cornerstone for the $100,000, twostory building was laid April 4, 1954.
The huge hall known as Memorial Hall was opened on Saturday, September 15, 1954 with a gala past commander's Dinner honoring Joseph Rampati, with Post commander Ray Pankowski as the master of ceremonies. During those early days of the Post, a marching band they named "The Redman" was organized that included twirlers, The Pequadetts, an all girls drill team and a color guard. My teenage sister Susie was the drum majorette for several years. The Long Island Mummers practiced in the hall and on the parking lot their beautiful string music could be heard for blocks away. Many of my friends who just returned home in the 1950s from their tour of duty in the Korean War had their wedding receptions in the hall. The members lounge known as the "Americana Lounge" recently purchased a 42-inch plasma television and mirrored the wall behind the bar. The lounge now has a homey atmosphere. And, the pool table with the new light named "Bud Light" is always in use. Major events being held these days include karaoke night with snacks, Oktoberfest, early bird dinner dances, Chinese auctions and fashion shows to name a few. A most recent change has been the addition of the veterans and service organizations Memorial Garden in the front of the building built in 2002 and made possible from donations from the community and designed by Past Post commander Louis Ulino.
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