POST HISTORY
The decision to organize an American Legion Post in Norwell resulted from the recognition of returning veterans from WWI by Congress in 1919. The American Legion quickly became the largest representative veterans' organization in the country. That early decision has been proven true as today the American Legion is the largest wartime veterans' organization with nearly 15,000 local Posts throughout America and over 3 million members who care about America, veterans, their families and our nation's youth.
Samuel Turner, Jr. Post 192, the Town of Norwell’s only American Legion Post was originally founded just after World War I in 1919 after the American Legion was established by an act of Congress. This post has been in continual existence since its establishment although its meetings have been moved from time to time to different locations in the town; from a building on Main Street that is now the Norwell Grange to a location formerly known as the old Tack factory to Norwell Town Hall and to the Pine Street Fire Station. Most recently, meetings are held at the Council on Aging. As far as we can determine, around the advent of World War II in 1941, the American Legion lost its post for some unknown reason and has been without a permanent location since that time (almost 75 years).
During the 1960's, former WAVE Specialist 2/c Dorothy Dickson became the Norwell Post's first female Commander, but it did not end there. In 1974-1976, Dorothy Dickson then served as the District's first female Commander. In 1993-1995, she served as Massachusetts first female State Commander.
Post 192 directly supports Memorial Day and Veterans Day events on the Town Common. In addition, the Post supports both Boys and Girls State with scholarships for worthy High School Seniors who reside in Norwell, an Oratorical Public Speaking scholarship as well as Legion Baseball and Basketball teams.
In January of 2014, Post 192’s leadership made a strategic decision to find itself a permanent home to better serve veterans in the Town of Norwell. With that undertaking, we looked at possible locations and determined that the best location would be the former Norwell Police Station at 40 River St, this spot provides a very unique location, situated not only in the center of town, but within a few hundred feet of the Norwell Veterans Town Common and Veterans Monuments. Unfortunately, after great effort and planning, the Post was not able to secure the police station nor later, the Grange building.