American Legion seeks help to recover its past
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

El Campo's American Legion Post is hoping to reclaim a portion of the history veterans lost in a 2005 fire which destroyed their hall.

Since then, the Craig-Harriss Post 251 has been able to rebuild, but they couldn't save all the photos of their past commanders from the devastating heat.

Now Legionnaire Willard Bergstrom is leading the effort to collect copies of lost photos.

The post is hoping to find photos of: Dr. A.L. Lincecum, C.P. Duson, T.E. Melcher, Arnold Reber, L.S. McDonald, Harold Hansen, L.B. Boudreaux, H.O. Halamicek, R.C. Allen, George Rosenfield, J.W. Burstrom, J.I. Christenberry, Charles Poynter, Milton Shult, J.E. Ruddell, Elvin Baker, Delfin Marek, Ray Buck Pierce, C.C. Varner, R.W. Bob Mathis, J.W. Ottino and Jack Fisk.

"If anyone has knowledge of duplicates of these pictures, they will be placed on the commander's wall of honor," he said.

Those with photos are asked to contact Bergstrom at 543- 3673.

El Campo's American Legion Hall burned July 10, 2005 with alarms sounding first at 5:37 a.m. on the Sunday morning.

As the first firefighters arrived, they saw what they thought was a small fire at the hall on Hwy. 71 South at Armory Road.

Firefighters quickly learned, however, that the blaze had already reached the attic of the old building which had multiple ceilings.

Some sections of the old American Legion Hall were believed to have been built in the 1920s as part of the Red Hill facilities, back when the property was a lake resort. Other sections dated to 1957.

Investigators from the State Fire Marshal's office later said the fire was probably caused by an electrical problem near the front foyer.

Legionnaires immediately said they intended to rebuild and were able to open their new hall in July 2006.