Chris Gadson American Legion Post #204: A Continuing Community Eyesore

By Karsceal Turner
Of The Daytona Times Staff

Editor's note: This is the first of a series of articles on Daytona Beach's Chris Gadson American Legion Post #204. It is Volusia County's oldest predominately Black American Legion Post. The building now sits abandoned and deteriorating on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., as it has since 2002.

"...American Legion Post #204... is hereby granted sanctuary status... for the protection and survival of its membership...(and) shall be used for retention, acquisition, and protection of membership in the American Legion... (T)he sanctuary may be adorned by the flag of the United States... and the American Legion emblem, with honor and high regard..."

Thus reads, in part, a declaration on the wall of Daytona Beach's Chris Gadson American Legion Post # 204. In reality, the powder blue, abandoned, dilapidated building located at 531 South Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. serves not as a sanctuary for American Legion members, but as a haven for crackheads, street people, and prostitution.

The building looks as if all four of 2004's hurricanes hit it at once. Oddly, the extensive damage resulted from a one-car collision that occurred during the early hours of Nov. 10, 2002. Although the building was insured, the insurance carrier went bankrupt, leaving the Post in the lurch. The building has remained in the same state since the day of the car accident. It is now three years and counting.

Reggie Beverly has been a member of Post 204 for the past 14 years, and a 'Legionnaire' for nearly twice that time. Beverly was despondent about his Post's current condition.

"Each Post is individually chartered. Our funding primarily comes from membership and fund-raisers," he said. "We've sponsored many programs ranging from baseball, Boy Scouts, ROTC programs, and Boys and Girls State programs. We've always been a very active Post but now we no longer have a place to call our own. Without a Post home to call our own, Post #204 will ultimately vanish."

Beverly is currently the Adjutant and Finance Officer for Post #204, though he has served in quite a few other capacities during his long legionnaire career.

The American Legion was chartered in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help, wartime veterans' organization. It is the largest veterans organization in the world. A community-service organization, it now numbers nearly 3 million members in approximately 15,000 Posts worldwide.

The Posts are the community service outlet of the Legion and provide opportunities for social activity and mutual support among a community's veterans.

Chris Gadson Post #204 was chartered in 1947, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1997. It is the oldest surviving Black American Legion in the Daytona Beach area.

A 'Post Locator' search on the American Legion website, www.legion.org, provides the address of three posts in the Daytona Beach area. One, the Ralph Becker Memorial Post #50, is inactive. Post #380 meets at the Emory L. Bennett Nursing Home located at 1920 Mason Ave. The decrepit Chris Gadson Post #204, amazingly enough, is also listed; there is even a Web link to generate a street map for would-be travelers. Visitors who decide to drop by the Post while in town, however, are in for a rather unpleasant surprise.

Beverly believes there are other American Legion Posts in the Volusia County area who have received city and county assistance. He pondered why Chris Gadson Post #204 has not received the same consideration and assistance. The 72-year-old veteran has been looking for answers since the 2002 car collision. He said he has gone to various city officials in his quest for help but has come up empty.

"I was told that the only things available were vacant lots," Beverly said. "I'm trying to understand why our Post is not able to receive the same city and county assistance as other Posts," he said.

In a telephone interview with the Times, Daytona Beach City Manager Jim Chisholm said he was unaware of the plight of Post #204, but said he would look into the matter.

Gadson Post Commander Carnell W. Edwards wrote a letter to Post membership one day after the 2002 collision, which stressed the need for adequate facilities.

"Fortunately, due to good community neighbors, we have been holding our monthly meetings at the Dickerson Recreation Center. However, in order for us to grow as a viable community citizen and active American Legion Post, we must find a replacement facility in the City of Daytona Beach,"
Edwards wrote.

What's Next?

Current plans for the site include demolition to make way for a parking lot for nearby Shiloh Baptist Church. In the meantime, the Post building continues to be at the mercy of the elements. It remains a fire hazard, a haven for downtrodden citizens and addicts, and a handy spot for quick sex at night by crack-addicted prostitutes turning tricks for quick cash.

Next week: We take readers through a virtual tour of the dilapidated building....

Contact Karsceal Turner at kturner@daytonatimes.com