Welcome to the

Kent Ohio American Legion Post 496

The Post 496 Honor Guard at the Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent Ohio on Veterans Day, November 11, 2007

The drilling of the Post 496 Gas Well has begun:

When complete, the well should provide our normal annual gas usage at no cost to Post 496

Two additional additions to Post 496

This sign was installed by volunteers and paid for by donations from many individuals and organizations.

This beautiful patio with entry through through the Game Room door
also was purchased by donations and was installed by:
Buck McBride, Brian McBride, Lee Wolf, Bill Griffith, Jim Reece, Dan Miller and John Wilson. 
All of whom worked extremely hard throughout this very HOT summer!
The Post has received, in writing, approval from the Liquor Control Board
for the patio to be used for smoking and beverages. 
 

Something new has been added to the right of the member's entrance

A 1968 Vietnam Era Ambulance donated by the Harley
by his wife, Eleanor; daughters: Mary Riden
Harley's grandson, Mark Ridenour and friends created the foundation slab for the ambulance.

 
Our front entrance as of January 22, 2003 at 1945 Mogadore Road in Kent, Ohio


The member's entrance as of January 22, 2003. The new post includes a 435 seat banquet hall.

The seven (7) ornamental fruit trees planted in the various islands in the parking lot were donated by
Jack Smith and Allen Ewart, Sr.

An end of an era!  The former Post 496 is torn down
so that  the Kent Free Library can construct a new library.

Previous home of Post 496

Congress granted a national charter to the American Legion in September of 1919, at the end of World War I.

Kent Legion Post 496 was chartered on August 16, 1921, with one hundred twenty-one men and one woman as charter members. In 1923 the post acquired the old Zenas Kent homestead on South River Street in Kent for $5,000. This was to remain the post home until being destroyed by fire on January 23, 1978.

Pictured below is the original Post home

: 
The cannon in the right of the picture was scrapped for use during World War II

Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion

For God and Country

We associate ourselves together for the following purposes:

To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order;
to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the great wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the
community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses;
to make right the master of might; to promote peace and goodwill on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.