Tulsa's American Legion Post #1 Sold Without Membership Knowing

The building and land surrounding Tulsa's Joe Carson American Legion Post #1 has been sold and the membership doesn't have a new location.

The buyer, Tulsa’s Family and Children’s Services, says it was approached about the sale and bought the property that adjoins theirs but doesn’t have an immediate plan for it. The purchase agreement gives the Post 18 months to clear out.

The Public Relations person for the Post, Nichole Montgomery, said she and most of the other members were surprised to find the Post was sold because they didn’t know it was for sale.

“I don't know what the deal was about not notifying us,” she said, “We have to embrace it and figure it out; we can't sit here. We're going to mourn; I've mourned quite a bit.”

Montgomery said the members have some hope, but not much expectation, that the land transaction could be reversed and the historic building saved.

“Anybody that understands history and veterans and what we have done here, somebody needs to save us,” she said.

The site is the first American Legion Post in the United States, created just after World War 1. The aging building is filled with artifacts from veterans who have been served by the Post.

The transaction is complicated by multiple legal entities overlapping in the ownership and operation of the Post. Bryan Davis, the past Commander of the Post, handled the transaction as President of the Joe Carson Post Building Association.

In a statement about the transaction distributed by Family and Children’s Services, he said:

“The selling of the building, although painful to our membership, became a necessity due to the cost of operating the eighty-year-old building. We are enthusiastic to move our membership into a new state-of-the-art facility which will enable American Legion Post 1 to continue to proudly serve our local veterans. On behalf of the Joe Carson Post Building Association, I would like to thank Family & Children Services for their generous terms which will allow Post 1 to continue to operate as the membership relocates. This is a wonderful opportunity provided to our membership that we may relocate to a more functional space enabling Post 1 to thrive for the next eighty years and continue the valuable mission of the American Legion serving our veterans, our community, and our children.”

Family and Children Services declined a request for an on-camera interview but issued this statement:

“FCS stepped forward to acquire the property as it provides an opportunity to build for our future while providing ample time for The American Legion to search for a new location. The FCS board of directors fully supported the American Legion’s request to occupy their facility for 18 months while they search for a new location. This was the best solution to ensure that veterans would continue receiving uninterrupted services and support. Beyond these considerations, the property's strategic proximity to FCS’s existing locations and its accessibility via the bus line position make it an ideal space for expanding our commitment to client needs and resource accessibility.”

The Post remains open and Montgomery said the membership is planning a meeting on December 11 to discuss the sale.