State Arsenal and Armory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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State Arsenal and Armory
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | 360 Broad St., Hartford, Connecticut |
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| Area | 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) |
| Built | 1906 |
| Architect | Morris, B.W.; Payne, W.A., et al. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000357 |
| Added to NRHP | April 4, 1996 |
The State Arsenal and Armory, also known as the Governor William A. O'Neill State Armory, is a historic building in Hartford, Connecticut. It was built in 1906. This building is a great example of a style called Classical Revival architecture. It was also built using new methods for the time, like concrete and cast stone. In 1996, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it serves as the main office for the Connecticut State Militia.
About the Armory
The Connecticut State Arsenal and Armory is a very large building. You can find it in Hartford, near the state capitol. It is located close to Interstate 84. The building has two main parts. One part is a three-story "head house." This is where offices and other rooms are located. The other part is a huge drill hall. This hall has a sloped roof.
The building is mostly made from rough granite blocks. It has a Classical Revival style. This style uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. The windows are narrow. They are often grouped together. The main entrance is in the middle of the building. It has a round arch.
The drill hall inside is very big, about 1.14 acres (0.46 ha). It has a ramp from Broad Street. This ramp made it easy to move heavy equipment in and out. The roof of the drill hall is made from strong concrete panels. These panels are held up by steel beams. The basement of the building used to have a firing range. It also has areas for storing weapons.
History of the Building
The state started planning a new armory in the early 1900s. After a long process, the building was finished in 1909. Benjamin Wistar Morris III designed it. He was a talented architect. He had worked for other famous architects before opening his own office.
Another architect, John M. Carrere, helped with the plans. He suggested placing the armory near the legislative area. This was part of a bigger plan to make the city more beautiful. This idea was called the City Beautiful movement.
The building's decorative parts were first made from cast cement. These parts were made right there on the building site. Later, in the 1990s, these cement parts were replaced with limestone. This was done during a major repair project.
Sports Events
The State Arsenal and Armory has also been used for sports. It was the home court for the Connecticut Pride basketball team. It also hosted the Hartford FoxForce tennis team.
