Alamo Post 2, The American Legion
~ History ~
Beginnings: Alamo Post 2, The American Legion was established on July 1, 1919, and is believed to have been originally located at the fire station located on Broadway, downtown, in the early forties. At that time, all American Legion posts in the Mighty 20th District met in the same building. Alamo Post 2 is one of the three oldest posts in Texas, and the oldest American Legion post in San Antonio. Three posts were bidding for post numbers in July 1919, and we drew #2. Since then, most posts around San Antonio were started from Alamo Post 2.
Post Home: In 1962 (or 1964) Alamo Post 2 selected its Post Home to be located at the historic property at 3518 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, 78201. In the roaring 1920s the building was originally a hotel and later became home to the "Kit Kat Club". Signs of the building’s history can be seen today by viewing the railing of the second floor balcony where the ironwork is decorated with music notes.
Place of Service: Fredericksburg Road is a major northwest corridor in San Antonio, Texas, stretching from near downtown and out toward Interstate Loop 410, Interstate 10, and the South Texas Medical Center. The road has a view of San Antonio’s downtown skyline as one approaches Alamo Post 2. Fredericksburg Road (known most recently as U.S. 87) once served as a key military supply, camel route, and convoy corridor linking the city to the Hill Country, Camp Bullis, and early outposts for over a century.
Alamo Post 2 has a large meeting hall accommodating 200 people, a large industrial kitchen, and a canteen bar. Alamo Post 2 frequently hosts large capacity events, including American Legion 20th District meetings and American Legion Boys State competitions. Equally as important, Alamo Post 2 serves the local community by being available as a rental space for Veterans, families, and friends to gather and celebrate school reunions, birthdays, and the like.
Heritage: The City of San Antonio was established in 1718, but was a Spaniard crossroad between the Gulf Coast and the Texas Panhandle since 1691 because of the San Antonio River. The Spaniard soldiers settled San Antonio to keep the French government out of the Texas region. Since then, San Antonio's life history has seen many changes in its heritage to say the least.
The heritage of San Antonio is unique in the State of Texas with many different living elements. San Antonio is comprised of Mexican-American, Indian, Spanish-Mexican, Anglo-American, and Europeans cultures blended in peace and in war. San Antonio cannot compare itself to other American cities with an impressive record of economy development, but it has a history like no other city.
San Antonio has preserved its history with pride with each succeeding generation. Newcomers will feel being part of a culture that has existed for generations. A mystique that cannot be articulated by those who feel it most and yet it is immediately apparent to the stranger.
A simple city with a society and economy which can be described in a few words but drawing constantly upon new blood and old adopting the modern world without discarding the old. It is a community in which people still look backward with pride and not apologize for it.
Presently, San Antonio is the country’s 7th largest city and has all the amenities any developed large city may have and continues to grow at a rapid pace. The name “Alamo” is synonymous with the city's character. The respect of San Antonio being officially known as "Military City USA" gives Alamo Post 2 better name recognition in its efforts to support military Veterans throughout the San Antonio Community.
