Massachusetts State Armory
Massachusetts State Armory | |
![]() Massachusetts State Armory in Wakefield | |
Location | 467 Main St., Wakefield, Massachusetts |
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Coordinates | 42°30′5″N 71°4′13″W / 42.50139°N 71.07028°W |
Built | 1913 |
Architect | Unknown |
Architectural style | Classical Revival |
MPS | Wakefield MRA |
NRHP reference No. | 89000707 [1] |
Added to NRHP | July 06, 1989 |
The Massachusetts State Armory is a historic armory at 467 Main Street in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Built in 1913, it is a fine local example of Classical Revival architecture, and a symbol of the town's long military history. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.[1] It presently houses the Americal Civic Center, a local community center.
Description and history
The armory is located on the west side of Main Street, at its southwest corner with Armory Street. It is a two-story Classical Revival brick building, whose front facade is dominated by a Classical portico with four columns extending the full height of the building. It has a stone water table and modillioned cornice. Windows have stone sills, and those on the first floor have stone keystones.[2]
Wakefield's military history dates to the 17th century, when it was part of Reading. Its first militia company was raised in 1644, and had a continuous history extending to 1840. The Washington Rifle Greens were organized in 1812, and survived until 1850. In 1850 Dr. Solon O. Richardson, a prominent local businessman, organized the Richardson Light Guard, which served in the American Civil War. The town's first armory, a former town hall, was opened in 1873, with a new one built in 1894 on Main Street. That building burned down in 1911, and the state built the present building two years later.[2] In 1975 the building was turned over to the town, and it was adapted for use as a community center.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Wakefield, Massachusetts
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- ^ a b "NRHP nomination for Massachusetts State Armory". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
- Armories on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
- Neoclassical architecture in Massachusetts
- Government buildings completed in 1913
- Buildings and structures in Wakefield, Massachusetts
- National Register of Historic Places in Wakefield, Massachusetts
- 1913 establishments in Massachusetts