Gettysburg Armory Explained

Gettysburg Armory
Coordinates:39.8269°N -77.2439°W
Built:January 10-August 26, 1938
Architect:John B. Hamme
Refnum:90000422

The Gettysburg Armory is a former National Guard armory which is located in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

History and architectural features

The 61x96 ft (44 ft high) Art Deco facility was constructed as a $43,331 Works Projects Administration project[1] for the local National Guard unit (commanded by Lt Ralph C. Deitrick in 1933).https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wHAmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SAAGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6508,4537025&dq=pfeiffer-estate+gettysburg&hl=en[2]

The two-story building housed a garage and repair shop for military vehicles, a classroom, administrative space, and a drill hall.[3]

From the beginning, the Armory was used not only by the National Guard, but also by the local community, for sporting events and community meetings.[4] In 1944, the Gettysburg Armory was used as a temporary German Prisoner of War camp while the official camp was being constructed on the Gettysburg Battlefield.[5] Later the building was designated as a public fallout shelter by the National Fallout Shelter Survey.

In 2010, the building was vacated by Battery B, 1/108th Field Artillery after a new readiness center was constructed in South Mountain.[6] In 2013, the Armory was transferred to the private sector by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: August 20, 1938 . Gettysburg Armory, New Home of N. G. Unit, Will Be Finished August 26 . Google News Archives . The Star and Sentinel . 2011-01-26.
  2. Web site: National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania. CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Searchable database. 2011-12-15. 2007-07-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20070721014609/https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce/SelectWelcome.asp. dead. Note: This includes Web site: [{{NRHP-PA|H096480_01H.pdf}} National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Gettysburg Armory]. 2011-12-08. Kristine M. Wilson. PDF. August 1989.
  3. News: Building of $48,000 Armory to Start Jan. 10. Gettysburg Star and Sentinel. Jan 1, 1938.
  4. News: $40,000 Armory to Be Built on Confederate Avenue; Civic Center. Gettysburg Compiler. May 15, 1937.
  5. Web site: June 29, 1995 . Out of the Past: 50 Years Ago . Google News Archive . . 2010-02-01.
  6. News: Barnes III . Roscoe . January 26, 2010 . Gettysburg artillery company getting new home in South Mountain . . Public Opinion . 2011-01-22.
  7. Web site: A new future for Gettysburg's Armory. 8 October 2014. 2014-04-03.