As the United States marks another Fourth of July week and reflects on 250 years of independence, the meaning of service, sacrifice and community can be found in places both symbolic and everyday—including inside Marshall County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3507 in Britton, which today operates as both a veterans organization and a local restaurant and bar.
Marshall County Post 3507 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars began in 1936 with Byron Fulton serving as the first commander. According to the Britton Centennial history, early members met in a variety of locations around town, including the basement of the Coffee Bar and Mrs. Carter’s Dress Shop. By 1945, the basement of City Hall became the first official meeting space. In 1962, members purchased the current building at 718 Main Avenue, where the post continues to operate today.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars itself traces its national roots back to 1899, when veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection formed early organizations that eventually became the VFW. Now, the national organization that has advocated for veterans’ benefits and services for more than a century.
Locally, the Britton post reflects that same mission while adapting to changing times. From its earliest days, the post has been tied to civic life in the community.
Today, the VFW operates under a board of local veterans with day-to-day management led by Sydney Yelkin, who has served as manager for nearly 10 years.
“I was hired to manage the bar,” Yelkin said. “I started bartending in the cities at 19, came back to the area when I was 27, and bartended around the region. I step in where needed. I manage.”
The post now functions as both a veterans organization and a full-service restaurant and bar, open to the public and centered on providing an affordable place for people to gather.
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