National Register of Historic Places

Armory of the First Corps of Cadets

Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
May 21, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73000314

About this property

The Armory of the First Corps of Cadets is a historic armory at 97–105 Arlington Street and 130 Columbus Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. Over the years it has been known as Park Plaza Castle, Castle at Park Plaza, and The Tower. The four-story granite structure was designed by William Gibbons Preston and built beginning in 1891 and finished in 1897. Due to political unrest during the period, the building was designed to withstand mob violence. Its most prominent feature is its six-story tower. It is built in the Romanesque Revival style. The building's staircases are built by the Guastavino system, as are some tower vaults. The building was built to store armaments and contained a rifle range, gymnasium, and drill hall. In the late 1960s, the University of Massachusetts Boston leased the building and converted it into the university's first library. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and designated as a Boston Landmark by the Boston Landmarks Commission in 1977. Between the early 2000s and 2018, a Smith & Wollensky steakhouse operated inside the four-story head house. For years the building was known as the "Park Plaza Castle" and owned by the adjacent Boston Park Plaza, which used it as a banquet facility up until 2014. At that time it was sold and renamed "Castle at Park Plaza." First floor: The Parlor, an open space with wood beams and decorative fireplaces 2nd floor: The Gallery, which features high ceilings with vintage chandeliers Top floor: The Library includes a catwalk, original bookcases, and large windows National Register of Historic Places listings in northern Boston, Massachusetts Media related to Armory of the First Corps of Cadets at Wikimedia Commons City of Boston, Boston Landmarks Commission Armory of the First Corps of Cadets Study Report "The Tower". Longwood Venues. Longwood Venues. Retrieved July 9, 2023.; galleries of photos

Location

97-105 Arlington St. and 130 Columbus Ave.
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
42.34974, -71.06999

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 Armory of the First Corps of Cadets

This page lists Armory of the First Corps of Cadets. 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 Armory of the First Corps of Cadets report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Paine Furniture Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
House at 1 Bay Street
Industrial
0.1 mi
Youth's Companion Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Back Bay Historic District
Early Republic
0.2 mi
Charles Playhouse
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston
1775Revolutionary War
0.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Armory of the First Corps of Cadets listed on the National Register?

Armory of the First Corps of Cadets was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Armory of the First Corps of Cadets?

Armory of the First Corps of Cadets is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Armory of the First Corps of Cadets?

The period of significance for Armory of the First Corps of Cadets is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Armory of the First Corps of Cadets?

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 Armory of the First Corps of Cadets will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Suffolk County

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

Explore SuffolkCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Armory of the First Corps of Cadets will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report