National Register of Historic Places

Willimantic Armory

Windham, Windham County, Connecticut
Listed
September 11, 1985
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85002310

About this property

Willimantic Armory is a historic armory building located on Pleasant Street in Windham, Connecticut. It served as a facility for the Connecticut National Guard from 1913 until 1980, when the building was sold to developers who converted the building into apartments. In 1909, city officials from Willimantic petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly for funding to construct a modern armory. Despite opposition from a few senators concerned about the expansion of military infrastructure, the bill passed, allocating $50,000 for the construction of a single-company armory. A 300-by-160-foot lot was purchased from Samuel Chesbro for $6,500, and the architectural firm Whiton & McMahon was awarded the design contract. The builder, F. D. Kent, received $32,405 for construction. The armory originally housed Company B of the 169th Infantry until the 1960s, when it was reassigned to the 248th Engineer Company. The facility remained the home of the 248th until the late 1970s, when a new armory was constructed in Norwich, Connecticut, and the unit was relocated. Following its closure, the Willimantic Armory was sold to developers who converted the building into apartments, preserving the exterior while renovating the interior, eliminating most traces of the original design. The armory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The Willimantic Armory consisted of two distinct elements, both of red-brick construction. The head house was a two-story, flat-roofed structure surmounted by a high parapet and a blocky tower. The drill shed was a 1+1⁄2-story gable-roofed structure in the rear of the head house. National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Connecticut

Location

Windham, Windham County, Connecticut
41.70997, -72.21463

Categories

ARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Willimantic Footbridge
Industrial
0 mi
Main Street Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Jillson, William, Stone House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Main Street Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.3 mi
Willimantic Freight House and Office
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Willimantic Armory listed on the National Register?

Willimantic Armory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 11, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Willimantic Armory?

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

What is the period of significance for Willimantic Armory?

The period of significance for Willimantic Armory is recorded as the industrial era.

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