Willimantic Armory is a historic armory building located on Pleasant Street in Windham, Connecticut. It served as a facility for the Connecticut National Guard from 1913 until 1980, when the building was sold to developers who converted the building into apartments.[2]
History
In 1909, city officials from Willimantic petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly for funding to construct a modern armory. Despite opposition from a few senators concerned about the expansion of military infrastructure, the bill passed, allocating $50,000 for the construction of a single-company armory. A 300-by-160-foot lot was purchased from Samuel Chesbro for $6,500, and the architectural firm Whiton & McMahon was awarded the design contract. The builder, F. D. Kent, received $32,405 for construction.[2]
The armory originally housed Company B of the 169th Infantry until the 1960s, when it was reassigned to the 248th Engineer Company. The facility remained the home of the 248th until the late 1970s, when a new armory was constructed in Norwich, Connecticut, and the unit was relocated.[2]
Following its closure, the Willimantic Armory was sold to developers who converted the building into apartments, preserving the exterior while renovating the interior, eliminating most traces of the original design.[2]
The armory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[1]
Characteristics
The Willimantic Armory consisted of two distinct elements, both of red-brick construction. The head house was a two-story, flat-roofed structure surmounted by a high parapet and a blocky tower. The drill shed was a 1+1⁄2-story gable-roofed structure in the rear of the head house.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e Geoffrey L. Rossano & Mary M. Donohue, Built to Serve: Connecticut's National Guard Armories 1865-1940
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