Approximately 40 community members joined American Legion Ernest W. Jones Post #65 members at the unveiling of the plaque that officially declares that Malad’s American Legion Building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at the Legion Building with Max Huggins, Post Commander, as emcee.

After the crowd recited the Pledge of Allegiance, Past Post Commander Gene Caldwell spoke, providing a history of the building. He reminded the audience that the building is the home for the Ernest W. Jones Post #65, which was named for the first casualty of World War I from Oneida County. Construction on the building began on March 7, 1930, when Post Commander J.D. Price turned the first shovel of soil.  It was finished in 1935 when a 2-day celebration was held on July 16 and 17. The entire town closed during the event so that everyone could enjoy “concessions, merry-go-round, ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, loop plane, side shows, and picture shows.” The building cost $30,000 (all donations) and was built primarily by volunteers, mostly members of the Post.

Gene went on with a description of the dedication of the building: “Idaho Governor C. Ben Ross gave the dedicatory address . . . The building was accepted by the State Legion Commander C.A. Bottolfsen, and John Forman formally received the building for the local Post. C.O. Nibert, the Post Commander, also spoke. That evening, a banquet was held at the new building for all Legionnaires, members of the Legion Auxiliary, and War Mothers and Fathers. A dance at the LaGrande Hall concluded the festivities on both days. On the second day, a ball game was held between Malad and Garland Legion teams.”

Gene described all the activities held in the Legion Building over the years: “Activities such as Legion and Legion Auxiliary meetings and activities, basketball games, boxing matches, Boy Scout meetings and activities, weddings, dances, New Year’s Eve celebrations, Firemen’s Balls, and the Festival of Trees at Christmas time were all held in the building.”  Gene’s description of this historic building reminded the audience of why it is so important to Oneida County. 

Audience members chimed in with memories, such as Bill Vanderwood saying that he learned to shoot a rifle in the basement of the building and Dave Gilgen remembering all the high school dances held there in the 1960s.

Jean Thomas, Chair of the Oneida County Historic Preservation Committee, then briefly spoke, beginning with listing the other seven properties in Oneida County on the National Register of Historic Places: the First Presbyterian Church, the Evans Co-op (now the Malad Co-op), the 2nd Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Jedd Jones house on North Main Street, the D.L. Evans bungalow on North Main Street, the Oneida County Courthouse, and the core area of Samaria as a National Historic District. She announced that a grant from the Idaho State Historical Society had been received that will fund a reconnaissance survey of downtown Malad to determine if other properties meet the criteria for inclusion on the National Register.

Led by Commander Huggins, the crowd then went outside where Commander Huggins and First Vice-Commander Keith Womack unveiled the sign that had been permanently mounted on the wall below a front window. Commemorative Idaho Spud candy bars, wrapped in festive red and white ribbons by Kay Caldwell, were handed out as a treat at the conclusion of the program.

To dispel rumors that being named to the National Register meant that the federal government now owned a property, Jean Thomas then read a list of what being named to the National Register of Historic Places does and does not do (as listed on the National Parks website):

Listing in the NRHS does--

• Identify historic buildings, structures, or sites that are of local, state, or national importance

• Provide honorific designation for a property

• Increase public awareness and appreciation for historic properties

• Provide archival and research documentation for historic properties

• Allow for tax incentives for the rehabilitation of qualifying history income-producing properties

• Provide a certain degree of protection for historic properties affected by federal action

• Help quality a property for certain grant programs

List in the NRHS does NOT –

• Restrict the rights of private property owners to change or dispose of their property in any way -- up to and including demolition

• Automatically provide grants or low interest loans for a property

• Require that historic properties be rehabilitated once listed/or restore historic properties if damaged

• Require property owners to open their property for public visitation at any time

• Guarantee the preservation of historic properties

• Help qualify a property for certain grant programs