V.F.W Post 76 The Oldest Post in Texas
Welcome to V.F.W Post 76, “The Oldest Post in Texas”. The Corinthian columns support the Victorian-Style home that features a veranda, basement and attic, and at one time had 17 rooms, 5 fireplaces & two kitchens. There are stained glass windows on the main floor & front stair landing, also on the floor at the entrance is original as is all the wood trim, window trim & window. The second floor has a unique feature in the ladies bathroom. There’s a porcelain pedestal sink, cedar chest & porcelain floors. Van A. Petty, lumber dealer and Real Estate owner was the original owner of the homestead. Van Petty seeked the help of Atler B. Ayers to design the present structure. Mr. Ayers is the architect who fathered the Tower Life Building. The house was completed in 1904 and sits on the banks of the San Antonio River. Van A. Petty married Cordelia Dabney a native of Selma Texas. They had three children, all boys. Van Alvin Petty Jr., Dabney E. Petty & Olive Scott Petty. Van, Dabney & Scott created the Petty Geophysical Engineering Co. Dabney & Scott researched, developed & perfected the portable seismograph, which was used to find oil, here in this house. There is a museum dedicated to the	Petty Family in Houston, Texas, at the Robert H. Ray Building. In 1973 Petty Geophysical Engineering merged into Geosource Inc. & integrated with Ray Geophysical Division to form Petty-Ray Geophysical Inc. V.F.W. Post 76 is not only unique by the house, but also by our charter, which was issued June 15, 1917. The organizers of V.F.W. Post 76 were veterans of the Spanish American War. The veterans of that era & following war eras met at the Spanish Mansion until 1946 when Mr. Petty donated the use of the house to the membership. Although there are no surviving WWI veterans we can proudly say that we have veterans of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan & Iraq. There are rumors of two ghosts, which also adds to the houses mystic. Members attest to seeing a girl running up and down the stairs. And an old man who likes to move furniture. They both share the name of “Charly”. Because the house is a one of a kind, the membership decided to open it to the general public. There are no figures as to how many people have visited the V.F.W. Post 76, but we can assume thousands per year pass thru our arch & enter the premises.	I would like to thank you for visiting our home & invite you to visit us when you are in our area. If you know of a veteran who is in limbo send them to our house, we will do what we can to help. If you wish to donate funds to help in keeping the house beautiful & operating send your donations in care of the V.F.W membership Post 76, 10 Tenth St. San Antonio, Texas 78215. Our bar hours of operation are 2pm to when everyone has left or 2am which ever comes first. Support our Armed Forces & remember Freedom is not free. A price is paid by all veterans.