Medina Armory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Medina Armory
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South elevation and east profile, 2010
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Medina, NY |
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| Nearest city | Lockport |
| Area | 1.1 acres (4,500 m2). |
| Built | 1901 |
| Architect | George L. Heins |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Castellated Style |
| MPS | Army National Guard Armories in New York State MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000399 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1995 |
The Medina Armory is a big stone building in Medina, New York. It was built over 100 years ago, at the start of the 1900s.
A special architect named George Heins designed it for the 29th Company of the New York Army National Guard. This was his very first building like this for the state! The 29th Company later joined other Guard units. The armory closed in 1977. Now, it is home to the local YMCA, a place for sports and community activities. In 1995, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special building worth protecting.
Contents
Exploring the Armory Building
The armory sits on a large piece of land, about 1.1 acres. It is on the east side of a block near Lee Place, Pearl Street, and Prospect Avenue (NY 63). This area is mostly homes, except for an old school building nearby. The ground around the armory is flat.
The building has two stories and is made of Medina sandstone. This stone is laid in a pattern that looks like many different-sized pieces fitted together. The armory has two main parts. The front part, facing Prospect Street, was used for offices. The back part is a large drill shed. A newer garage is attached to the drill shed. The front lawn has grass and some bushes around a flagpole.
Front Entrance and Towers
In the middle of the front of the building is a special entrance area. On each side, there are two round towers that look like castle towers. They have crenelated tops, which are like the battlements on a castle wall. The main entrance is a curved archway with two big wooden doors. Above the doors are three windows. The roof is a mix of sloped and pointed sections, covered with asphalt shingles. The tall, narrow windows on the first floor have iron grilles, like fences, over them.
Drill Shed Details
The drill shed has nine sections. Its sides have pairs of narrow, flat-arched windows. These windows are separated by buttresses, which are supports built into the wall. There are also other entrances on the sides. These doors have four panels and windows above them, similar to the main entrance. The back of the drill shed has three groups of tall, narrow windows, also with buttresses.
Inside the Armory
Many of the original features are still inside the armory. The entrance hall has a large oak staircase. The room where the military company met has a metal ceiling. The walls still have their original oak baseboards and plaster. Many of the oak doors are also original. When the armory was listed as historic, many rooms had been divided into smaller spaces. The drill shed has exposed steel beams, wooden ceilings, a balcony, and wooden floors.
A Look Back: Armory History
The story of the Medina Armory began long before it was built. In 1838, a group called Bowen's Rifles was formed. They were ready to fight if a war started between the United States and Britain over land in Maine. Luckily, no war happened, but the group continued for a few years. Later, other local groups formed, eventually leading to the Pitts Light Guards.
Forming the 29th Company
In 1891, the 29th Company was officially formed. It had three officers and 55 soldiers. At first, they used rooms in a building on Main Street. But the community soon wanted a proper armory. A local politician, Fred Downs, worked to get the state to approve the project. The 29th Company then saw its first real action during the Spanish–American War.
Building the Armory
The land for the armory was bought in 1899. By September of that year, they started digging the foundations. The state approved the finished building in late 1901. The land and building together cost about $57,160.
This was the first of seven armories designed by George Heins. He was the state architect for New York. Heins used ideas from medieval castles, like towers and battlements. His designs were more modern than those of the architect before him. A special part of the Medina Armory is that it used local Medina sandstone. This stone was very popular at the time.
Changes and World Wars
The armory first had a flat roof. But in 1912, it was changed to the hip-gable roof we see today. The next year, the unit helped with a streetcar strike in Buffalo. By then, they were known as Company F of the New York National Guard's Third Regiment.
In April 1917, the unit went to fight in World War I. They were part of the 27th Division, made up entirely of New York National Guard soldiers. Another unit stayed at the armory to protect the home front. After the war, in 1919, the unit became Company F of the 108th Infantry. During World War II, it was Company L of the 65th Regiment.
From Military to YMCA
For the last three years the Guard used the armory, it was Company C of the 174th Infantry. In 1977, the state announced the armory would close. The Medina community did not want the building to be empty. So, they formed the Armory Action Committee. This group worked to turn the armory into a place for local fun and activities. They divided the office spaces for new uses. After 20 years, the Lake Plains YMCA bought the building from the state. It is still a YMCA today, with over a thousand members and many programs for the community.
