Colorado National Guard Armory
National Register of Historic Places

Colorado National Guard Armory

Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado
Listed
December 18, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78000860

About this property

The Colorado National Guard Armory, known commonly by locals simply as the Armory, is a landmark in Golden, Colorado. Unusual in its construction, it was at one time the largest cobblestone building in the United States. It was built in 1913 by the Colorado National Guard as an armory, quarters, mess hall and auditorium for the Guard's Company A of Engineers. When it was completed in 1914, the Company was housed in this building's second and third floors while the first-story garden level was available for rental to the public. The Armory's original uses included: Golden's Post Office (northeast first-level storefront); photo shop (northwest first-level storefront); barracks, mess hall, weapons storage and drill hall (second level); auditorium (third level, known as Armory Hall); and map room (tower). Its engineering company served with distinction and under fire in France in World War I and remained in service here. In subsequent years the building served in part or whole as a hotel, offices, industrial bank, and student housing. During the influenza epidemic of 1918 the building became an emergency hospital for ill patients used by the Red Cross, and in 1933 it became the local headquarters of the Civil Works Administration, the federal depression era agency which created several area improvements. Armory Hall was open to the public and served the community for social gatherings, fundraisers, sports (one of the oldest basketball keys in the world, painted in 1914 just 23 years after the sport was invented, is still painted on the floor), and was the early home of Golden's American Legion post. Calvary Episcopal Church is the current property owner. Today the Armory houses Cafe 13, a local coffeeshop, on the first floor. The second floor is Colorado School of Mines student housing which is administered by the church. The remaining first floor, third floor, and fourth floor tower are home to Connects Workspace, Golden's only coworking space.

Location

1301 Arapahoe St.
Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado
39.75365, -105.22105

Categories

MILITARYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Colorado National Guard Armory

This page lists Colorado National Guard Armory. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Colorado National Guard Armory report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Calvary Episcopal Church
Industrial
0 mi
Quaintance Block
Civil War
0 mi
First Presbyterian Church of Golden-Unger House
Listed
0.1 mi
Astor House Hotel
Civil War
0.1 mi
Loveland Building and Coors Building
Early Republic
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Colorado National Guard Armory listed on the National Register?

Colorado National Guard Armory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Colorado National Guard Armory?

Colorado National Guard Armory is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Colorado National Guard Armory?

The period of significance for Colorado National Guard Armory is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1913.

Can I research the history near Colorado National Guard Armory?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Colorado National Guard Armory will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Jefferson County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Jefferson County.

Explore JeffersonCounty ›

More historic places in Colorado

Browse all historic places in Colorado.

View Coloradohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Colorado history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Coloradohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Colorado National Guard Armory will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report