The American Legion Hall Post #65 in Malad was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on January 25, 2024.  The Oneida County Historic Preservation Committee, working with Kirk Huffaker of Huffaker Preservation Strategies in Salt Lake as a consultant and with Gene Caldwell of the American Legion, nominated the American Legion Building in fall 2022 after working on the nomination for over
a year.

All nominations to the National Register of Historic Places must go through an official local committee that operates under the direction of a Certified Local Government (CLG). Oneida County is recognized by the State of Idaho as a CLG. Members of the Oneida County Historic Preservation Committee are Jean Thomas, Chair, D.L. Evans, Dotty Evanson, J.D. Thomas, Larry Thomas, and Luke Waldron with Bill Lewis as liaison to the Oneida County
Commission.

Paid by a grant from the Idaho State Historical Society, Kirk Huffaker came to Malad several times to collect the required documentation to support the nomination; he went through minutes of American Legion and Legion Auxiliary meetings, scrapbooks, pictures, and newspaper clippings, and documents related to the construction of the building, and met with Gene Caldwell and other members of the American Legion.  After the Idaho State Preservation Office approved the nomination, it went to the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior of the federal government for final approval.

The American Legion Hall was dedicated in 1935 in a two-day celebration. The entire town closed during the event so that everyone could enjoy concessions, carnival rides, side shows, picture shows, dances, and ball games. Idaho Governor C. Ben Ross gave the dedicatory address.  Since then, the Legion has been used by the American Legion, Legion Auxiliary, and Gold Star Mothers and has been the site of countless community events, including Christmas bazaars, dances, weddings, boxing matches, class reunions, family parties, weekly Bingo games, and programs of all types.

The official notification letter received last week from the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office stated:

“The National Register is America’s official list of historic properties considered important in our past and worthy of preservation. Listing in the National Register provides recognition and assists in preserving our Nation’s heritage. This listing does not affect private property rights but does recognize that the property is of historic significance to the State and community.”

In other words, ownership of the building remains with the American Legion, which can remodel and update the building as needed.  Being listed on the National Register provides additional opportunities for grant funding to keep the building usable by the owners and the public.

A celebration of this recognition of the historic importance of the American Legion Hall will be held later this spring.

Other buildings in Oneida County on the National Register of Historic Places are the Co-Op Block and J.N. Ireland Bank, the D. L. Evans Sr. Bungalow on North Main, the Jedd Jones House on North Main, the Malad Second Ward, the United Presbyterian Church, and the Oneida County Courthouse. Samaria is listed as a National Historic District.  All of these sites except the Courthouse were listed on the National Register in 1979; the Courthouse was listed in 1987.