History
The Grand Army of the Republic Hall & Museum of Lynn is one of the last remaining buildings in the United States still used for its original purpose — to honor the men who fought to preserve the Union during the Civil War. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in Military, Architectural, and Cultural significance.
The Hall was erected in 1885 with funds raised by local Civil War veterans as a memorial to Union Army soldiers. It soon became the largest G.A.R. Post in the country, with 1,847 members, and held a position of prominence in the City of Lynn, the Commonwealth, and the Nation. Six rooms throughout the building contain memorabilia spanning American conflicts from the Revolutionary War through the Korean War. The research library’s impressive built-in bookcase was designed and constructed by one of the founding veterans himself.
The building was named for General Frederick W. Lander of Lynn and Salem. Commissioned as a Brigadier General of Volunteers on August 6, 1861, Lander was wounded at the Battle of Ball’s Bluff and died from his wounds on March 2, 1862, in Paw Paw, Virginia.
The Post’s first recruit and most notable Commander, Captain John G. B. Adams, helped elevate Post #5 to national recognition. The members lived their motto — Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty”— providing over $100,000 in support to veterans, widows, and orphans in need.
When the Civil War began on April 12, 1861, Lynn’s population was 19,083. Of those, 3,270 men served in the Army or Navy. Lynn lost 289 of them.
Through the Special Acts of 1919, accepted by the voters of Lynn, the Hall was established as a permanent memorial to Civil War veterans. The City of Lynn owns the building and, together with the Trustees, has maintained and operated it ever since.
On May 7, 1979, the Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its military, architectural, and cultural significance.
Board
Trustees
Patti Pendexter, Chair
40 Sutcliffe Road
Bradley Gosselin, Secretary & Treasurer
[email protected]
Mitchel Ahern
78 Hillside Avenue
[email protected]
Patricia Lee
205 Edgemere Road
[email protected]
Wayne Johnson
16 Pendexter Street
[email protected]
Eric Daniels
[email protected]
Vincent DeMore
30 Basset Street
[email protected]
Governance Documents