Orange Armory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Orange Armory
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 135 E. Main St., Orange, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1913 |
| NRHP reference No. | 100005477 |
| Added to NRHP | August 27, 2020 |
The Orange Armory is an old, important building in Orange, Massachusetts. It was built in 1913. An armory is a place where soldiers train and keep their equipment. This building was used to get soldiers ready for World War I. It also helped train state soldiers until the 1960s. The Orange Armory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. This means it's a special building worth protecting.
What the Armory Looks Like
The Orange Armory is a big building made of brick. It sits on East Main Street in Orange. The building has two main parts. The front part is like a regular building, with two floors. This is called the "headhouse." Behind it is a very large room called a "drill shed."
The headhouse has a main entrance in the middle. You walk up wide stairs to get to the door. The drill shed has a sloped roof, like a typical house. Inside, the building is very practical. It doesn't have many fancy decorations. Most of what you see inside is from when it was first built in 1913.
A Look at the Armory's History
The Orange Armory was built between 1912 and 1913. It cost about $60,000 to build back then. This building was home to a group of soldiers called Company E. They were part of the 2nd Massachusetts Volunteer Militia.
These soldiers were very busy. In 1913, they served in the Pancho Villa Expedition. This was a military action in Mexico. Later, they became part of the American Expeditionary Forces. This was the name for the American soldiers who went to Europe during World War I.
The building stopped being used as an armory around 1963 or 1973. After that, it was given to the town of Orange. Today, the town uses the building for many different activities. It's a place for community events and other town needs.
