WHO WAS SELMER H T MYREBOE?
Selmer, the oldest of eight children, was born in 1891. H.S. Myreboe, Selmer’s father, bought Andrew Thompson’s dry goods store and moved his family to Poulsbo from Vinland in 1905. This was the beginning of 14 year old Selmer Myreboe’s lifetime career as a small town merchant.
In 1917, when the United States became involved in World War I, Selmer H T Myrebo was one of the first to volunteer his Services. He saw service in the trench warfare on the western front in France. He said of himself, the closest he came to being a casualty was Chilblains in his feet from the dampness and cold of the trenches. He joined the service organization, The American Legion on his return to Poulsbo. He was a dedicated member
Selmer owned a piece of land across from Martha and Mary Children’s home adjacent to an area that since the 1890s had been known as “the park”. It had never been an official park but was used for the purpose by the community, especially during the 30th of May Celebrations(Memorial Day). After World War I, when Selmer spearheaded the establishment of American Legion Post #80, he deeded that piece of property to the Post for its post hall. The deed carried the provision that, if the post should ever disband, the property would revert to the city to be used as a park. Sadly, Post #80 did disband in 1966.
Once it became property of the City of Poulsbo, Councilman Dale Anderson, Selmer’s nephew, suggested the park retain the name American Legion Park. That action was approved by the city Council with both parcels, the traditional park and the American Legion parcel becoming one municipal park carrying the title of American Legion Park.
Another of Selmer’s major beneficences was the First Lutheran Church’s Boy Scout Troop #571, now known as Troop #1571. He was scoutmaster for many years and committee man and Institutional representative for many, many more. The district Boy Scout Office was well aware of Selmer’s interest and support of scouting. One year, at Jamboree, Selmer was escorted to the rostrum (Hec Edmunsen Pavilion) by the Honor Guard. The Scout Executive approached and pinned on Selmer’s lapel Scouting’s most prestigious award, the Silver Beaver.
Selmer Myerboe died of cancer in 1972 at the age of eighty-one.
NEXT MEETING
17 October 2024, 1900
Post 245 meets the third Thursday of each month at 7pm at Vinland Lutheran Church, Haugen Hall, 2750 NW Finn Hill Road, Poulsbo, WA
All active duty service members and veterans that have served one day of honorable service are eligible for membership. If you are on Active Duty Post 245 will pay your first year membership to see if the American Legion is for you.
Joining our Post enables you to continue serving God, Country, and Community. Our mission is to implement the goals, aspirations, dreams, peace and blessings for our country, friends and family.
We continue to sponsor scholarships; provide aid assistance to local Veterans and their families; sponsor students to Boys and Girls State and other help to community programs and projects.
For God and Country, we associate ourselves together for the following purposes:
To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America
To maintain law and order
To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism
To preserve the memories and incidents of associations in all wars
To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation
To combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses
To make right the master of might
To promote peace and goodwill on earth
To safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy
To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness