Menu
For 50 years now, only place to get Legionburgers is here
That unmistakable aroma of the legendary Legionburger and the sizzle of onions and hamburger on the steamy grill lured dozens of drivers to the Greencastle American Legion Post Saturday.
Kicking off the 50th anniversary year of the Legionburger, a Putnam County institution, the post staged a drive-through event under its building canopy at the Legion on Indianapolis Road in Greencastle.
"This is the only place in the world you can get a Legionburger," Legion member Tony Sparks asserted as he carefully positioned burger patties on the grill and heaped onions atop them.
The aroma and taste of the Legionburger, of course, are akin to the White Castle slider, but that doesn't diminish the craving for the beloved local product.
This year, Legionburger lovers didn't have to wait until the Putnam County Fair to satisfy their palates. They were pulling into the driveway of the post on Saturday and loading up with the legendary local burgers.
One woman grabbed 30. A local hairdresser drove off with 20. Sparks, who is employed at the Putnamville Correctional Facility, delivered 27 to the prison.
Meanwhile, Legion Post Commander Rod Gaffney was doing his best to boost sales numbers, admitting to eating 16 by noon, and then correcting himself later.
"I think it's closer to 18 or 20," he smiled.
Meanwhile, a couple visiting from Barboursville, W.Va., stopped, loaded up and went inside to enjoy their Legionburgers in the post bar.
Doug and Kelly Knipp were in town to see relatives, she said, which led to a trip Big Walnut Sports Park. That's where another spectator showed up with a bagful of the little burgers and the Knipps decided they "just had to" seek out the Legion post for their lunch.
Legion lore says the post started its Legionburger effort in 1964 and has been going strong ever since. Their building at the fairgrounds is a popular spot for hungry fairgoers and many a local teenager can report sharing a first date at the fair with Legionburgers for dinner.
Dave Hollis, who was manning the grill Saturday with Sparks, said when he moved to Greencastle about 20 years ago, the people he met would ask almost incredulously, "What, you've never had a Legionburger?"
Now he helps create the distinctively aromatic local tradition. And during fair time that routinely has meant thousands of burgers, Legion Vice Commander Mike Ford said.
At last year's fair, the Legion booth sold a combined 53,000 items --Legionburgers, fries and drinks, Ford said, which factors to about 30,000 burgers.
"It's what keeps us able to donate to the community," Hollis pointed out from behind the grill.
Ford noted that the Legion uses its Legionburger sales proceeds to donate to such groups as local fire departments, Boy Scouts, the Sheriff's Department, cheerleaders, football programs and recently the Beyond Homeless shelter.
"We also gave hundreds of dollars to a family with four children that lost their home in a fire," Ford said.
"We do more than help the veterans," he assured.
After the fair, Legionburgers will also be available during the annual Berry Street festival in early October.
Last fall, the Legion set up operations during Berry Street at the Clodfelter residence at Berry and Locust streets, and despite a major thunderstorm that erupted before 11 a.m., they still sold 400 Legionburgers that day.
"This is getting us ready for the fair," Sparks said as he restocked the grill one more time Saturday.
"When the fair comes around, it'll be on," he added. "People just can't get enough of them."