American Legion Wiley B. Murray Post No. 27

Across Texas, posts like this one took on civic work in the 1920s. Some put up community Christmas trees or helped the needy, and others sponsored parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and lighted baseball fields; after 1923 most posts in the state sponsored Boy Scout troops, and many fielded baseball teams and held oratorical contests. From 1938 the legion ran the annual Boys State in Austin. Membership ranged from 10,540 to 37,709 between 1919 and 1942, when World War II veterans became eligible. Black veterans were admitted in 1945, at first confined to a separate district guided by White posts.

What the plaque says

American Legion Wiley B. Murray Post No. 27 Upon returning home from service in World War I, San Saba veterans felt a need to organize socially. The only existing organization of veterans was the William P. Rogers Camp No. 322, United Confederate Veterans (UCV). The UCV camp welcomed the new veterans and assisted them in organizing into the Wiley B. Murray Post No. 27 of the American Legion. President of City National Bank T.A. Murray (1870-1942) provided the veterans a meeting place. In honor of T.A. Murray's assistance, the veterans named their post after his son Wiley (1896-1918), who had perished fighting in France. On August 13, 1919, a charter was issued, making Wiley B. Murray Post No. 27 one of the first posts in the state and nation. In late 1920, one of the post's first activities was to accompany the body of their namesake, just returned from France, from the rail station to his burial. The veterans provided this service for each of the men from San Saba County as their remains were repatriated. In 1921, Legionnaires' wives formed a women's auxiliary. During the first two decades, the post focused on community service projects such as Christmas gifts for San Saba children, patriotic school programs and developing mill pond park for the community. During World War II, the veterans supported the war effort, and afterwards welcomed the new veterans into the legion, supporting them with new G.I. Bill assistance. In 1946, the San Saba vocational school for veterans was established, and Legionnaires Ray W. Harris, Warden Terry and T.A. Davenport taught classes. The new legion meeting hall, opened in 1959, became a popular meeting and event location for the community. Since its inception, American Legion Wiley B. Murray Post No. 27 has served veterans and the San Saba community. (2023)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Colorado Bend State Park — 18 mi
  Old ranch country on the Colorado above Lake Buchanan, where a spring-fed creek drops 70 feet over fern-covered travertine at Gorman Falls.

More markers nearby

• The Texas Rangers and the San Saba Mob — steps away
• Edmond E. Risien, Pecan Pioneer — steps away
• San Saba Church of Christ — steps away
• Camp McMillan, C.S.A., Texas Civil War Frontier Defense — steps away