What chocolate bribes and straw hats built in the heart of Indianapolis

Indianapolis’s Chocolate and Straw Hat Victory Over Washington

In 1919, the American Legion needed a home. Cities across America fought hard to win the prize.

Washington D.C. seemed like the clear front-runner until the clever folks from Indianapolis got to work. Dr. T. Victor Keene bribed elevator operators with chocolates to redirect visitors to the Indiana team’s office.

Then, when snow hit Minneapolis during the convention, Keene handed out straw hats to mock the weather while talking up Indiana’s climate. The bold move worked.

Indianapolis beat Washington on the second ballot, 361 votes to 323.

Today, the Indiana War Memorial stands as proof that sometimes, chocolates and straw hats can change history.

War Veterans Formed The American Legion In Paris After WWI

The American Legion started on March 15-17, 1919, in Paris.

About 1,000 officers and soldiers from the American forces got together to create a new group for veterans. They picked the name “American Legion” and wrote a basic set of rules during their first meeting.

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and George White pushed to include all military members, not just officers.

General John Pershing helped by ordering 20 officers to meet at the Paris YMCA on February 15, 1919.

St. Louis Meeting Laid The Groundwork For The New Organization

The Legion held its first U.S. meeting in St. Louis in May 1919.

Members spent two days figuring out the group’s goals and leaders. They also picked Minneapolis for their official founding convention.

Since states didn’t have time to properly elect people to send, the main committee gave each state twice as many votes as they had representatives in Congress, making sure every state got a fair say.

Hundreds Of Veterans Showed Up In Minneapolis For The Big Convention

The Legion’s official founding convention began on November 10, 1919, in Minneapolis. A total of 684 people packed into Convention Hall between Marquette and Nicollet Avenue.

By then, the Legion already had more than 684,000 members across the country.

From the start, the Legion stayed away from politics, focusing instead on helping veterans of all political views.

Cities Fought Hard To Become The Legion’s Forever Home

As the convention began, several cities sent teams to compete for the Legion’s main office. Washington D.C. , St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Indianapolis all wanted it.

Some committee members liked Washington because it was close to government power.

Others pointed out that Indianapolis sat near the center of America’s population, making it a practical choice for a nationwide group.

Indiana’s Team Came Ready To Win At Any Cost

Dr. T. Victor Keene led the Indiana group with help from Walter Myers and Colonel Robert Moorehead. They ran one of the most aggressive campaigns at the convention.

Keene, an Indianapolis doctor, served as the group chairman. Myers worked inside the Committee on Permanent Headquarters, trying to win over other members.

The Indiana team kept talking about how Indianapolis sat in the middle of the country.

Candy-Loving Elevator Operators Became Secret Weapons

In a clever move, Keene put the Indiana team’s base just one floor below the main convention headquarters. Then he started giving chocolates to the elevator operators.

The plan worked perfectly – when people asked to go to “headquarters,” the operators often took them to the Indiana floor instead.

This trick gave the Indiana team more chances to talk directly with voters and convince them to pick Indianapolis.

Summer Hats In Winter Snow Made Minneapolis Look Bad

Mother Nature helped the Indiana team when a snowstorm hit Minneapolis during the convention. Chairman Keene quickly spent $150 on straw hats for all his supporters.

They wore these summer hats while walking through the snow, joking about the terrible Minneapolis weather. At the same time, they talked up Indianapolis’s milder weather and friendly people.

The sight of straw hats in snow stuck with many voters.

Washington D.C. Jumped Into The Lead On The First Vote

On the first vote, Washington D.C. got the most votes from the 684 people. Indianapolis came in second, with other cities splitting the rest.

The rules needed a clear winner with more than half the votes, so they voted again. The Indiana team worked hard between votes, talking to people from cities that lost and trying to win their support.

Indianapolis Pulled Ahead When It Counted Most

On the second vote, Indianapolis won with 361 votes compared to Washington’s 323. Out of 684 total votes, Indianapolis had secured a majority.

The Indiana team’s creative campaign worked.

Their points about central location combined with their chocolate bribes and straw hat stunts convinced enough people to switch their votes to Indianapolis.

The City Had To Deliver On Its Big Promises

After winning, Indianapolis needed to keep its promises.

In January 1920, city officials set aside five blocks for the American Legion headquarters and a war memorial.

The Citizens Planning Committee picked two blocks from Vermont to North streets between Meridian and Pennsylvania. The site included several churches, the Elks Lodge, and various office buildings.

The plan called for a five-block civic plaza with the memorial.

Indiana Spent Millions To Honor Its Commitment

In July 1920, the Indiana War Memorial Bill passed, putting $2 million toward construction and land costs.

The city agreed to pay for the site and ongoing maintenance, while the state covered the cost of building the memorial.

On June 17, 1925, the American Legion formally moved into its first permanent headquarters at 777 North Meridian Street in Indianapolis. The Legion stayed there until 1950, when it moved to a larger building.

Those chocolate bribes and straw hats had paid off, securing Indianapolis a place in veterans’ history for generations to come.

Visiting Indiana War Memorial, Indiana

The Indiana War Memorial Museum at 55 East Michigan Street tells the story of Indianapolis beating Washington D.C. to become the American Legion’s national headquarters through clever campaigning tactics like bribing elevator operators with chocolates.

You can visit for free Wednesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm and explore using the PocketSights mobile app.

The Shrine Room is closed for construction until late September 2025, but groups can still visit during regular hours.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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