Home Port of the U.S.S. Liberty

The Zimmerman American Legion Post 560 was chartered on the 6th of May 1947 and the first meeting was on 14 May 1947. The first elected officers were Chuck Swanson as Commander, Ken Iliff as Adjutant, 1st Vice was Edwin Hass, Richard (Dick) Nelson Sgt at Arms, Lawrence Harsley Chaplain, and the finance officer was Dennis Hanson.

The first meetings held were at Mahers Hall. By the 3rd meeting, Mahers hall became the temporary club. In the months that followed the meeting moved around between Crown, Zimmerman, and Orrock. In 1953 the meeting was held at the Zimm-Inn, previously the Mahers Hall.

In March of 1954 The Post purchased the school District 41 school house but had nowhere to put it. The cost was $511.15. In May of 1954 land was donated south of town to put the schoolhouse on. This land is now known as Liberty Park and will be the future site of the Gold Star Family Memorial Monument. Improvements were made to the new Post home (chimney for a furnace, and 2 outside donated biffs).

Soon after the August 1957 meeting, the Post burned down. After much thought about dissolving the Post it was decided to look for another home. 2 members bought the Zimm-Inn and the Post bought it from them on a contract for deed. This is how we got our present home.

Many early fundraisers were done to establish a home Post. Some of these were;

Free Dances (hoping they sold a few beers)
Renting out Legion rifles for deer hunting ($2.00 for members, $3.00 for non-members)
Oyster Stew fundraiser. (Cost was $75.00 and they raised $16.00)

The official name Kriesel-Jacobsen was decided in May of 1950. These names were chosen because Robert Kriesel was the first Zimmerman man killed in WWI and Ernest Jacobsen was the first killed in WWII. The first meeting with the Post and Auxiliary was held in August of 1950. It was decided that they would rent the Hall for $2.00. $1.00 for the Post and $1.00 for the cleaner. If the Auxiliary rented the hall they got to keep the $2.00 but had to clean it themselves.

In 1982 it was decided to start an SAL Squadron. The basement was remodeled and the parking lot put in in the early 80’s. The cost was about $57,000.00. The mortgage was paid off in 1986 and it was decided to remodel the upstairs in 1986. This is but a sample of what made us who we are today. There is a notebook at the Post that is there for viewing. This notebook includes memories of others and more details of who our past members were and what they did to keep our Post alive so that it would be here for us to enjoy today.