There are many local (and all over) Veterans Memorial buildings that serve the needs of war veterans (through the American Legion) as well as the community by providing event rental spaces, dance classes and senior centers.
Most of them are approaching 100 years old and I appreciate that they’re still useful! Many have been renovated to continue their service. On this expedition I visited three: San Leandro, Hayward and Fremont. All the buildings were closed when I visited, sadly.
The American Legion was formed after World War I to support and advocate for veterans. They often had their own buildings but were sometimes housed in Veterans Memorial buildings, like the one in San Leandro. Sidebar: the Legion sponsors Boys and Girls State, a program where high school juniors travel to their state capitol to learn about government and leadership. I lived in Mexico City at the time, and was sent to Montgomery, Alabama, for a week. We saw Governor George Wallace from the Capitol building gallery and I temporarily picked up a southern accent.
Ten buildings were constructed in Alameda County between 1927 and 1935 and the County funded many of them
with help from the Public Works Administration (tie in: Expedition 56 and Expedition 60). The 1934 San Leandro building is Italianate although it sports a Spanish style red tiled roof. The lobby has art deco elements like the door frames and friezes above them. Four stern eagles guard the front and a World War I doughboy stands ready at a side entrance.
The Hayward Vets Memorial dates from 1932 and the facade depicts people from various military branches, including a female nurse. The picture doesn’t show it well, but it has two wheelchair ramps front and center, flanking the stairs. In the lobby I could see a signs for Disabled American Veterans, as well as two organizations that predate the American Legion.
The Fremont building, in the historic Niles district, is California Spanish style. It was built in 1930 and renovated in 2000. Over the front doors is a bust of a doughboy (note: Wikipedia lists many possibilities for the origin of the term doughboy, which originated with foot soldiers in the Mexican-American War). The pretty hallway used to be a loggia facing a patio.
I have seven more buildings to visit in my local East Bay area! I’ll try to schedule for when they’re open next time.
Source: https://veterans.alamedacountyca.gov/