Heslar Naval Armory (formerly Indianapolis Naval Reserve Armory) was constructed in 1936 in
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
, United States, on the shore of
White River as a
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
construction project. It was designed by architect Ben H. Bacon and reflects an
Art Moderne
Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In industrial design ...
style. Heslar Naval Armory was the home of Naval Operations Support Center Indianapolis, Marine Corps Reserve Center Indianapolis, and Naval Recruiting Station Indianapolis, as well as the
United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps
The United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC or NSCC) is a congressionally chartered, U.S. Navy-sponsored organization that serves to teach individuals about the sea-going military services, U.S. naval operations and training, community serv ...
Cruiser Indianapolis (CA-35) Division and the Central Indiana Young Marines of the Marine Corps League. In October 2008 the Indiana Wing
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
, state branch of the US Air Force Auxiliary, moved its headquarters functions and staff to the Armory.
The building and property are legally owned by the
State of Indiana
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
and managed by the Indiana State Armory Board (an entity of the
Indiana National Guard
The Indiana National Guard (INNG) is a component of the United States Armed Forces, the United States National Guard and the Military Department of Indiana (MDI). It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard, the Indiana Air National Guard, a ...
), but were leased to the federal government for use by the
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Sele ...
and the
United States Marine Corps Reserve
The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR), also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command, by assigned pe ...
until early 2015. The facility was converted to educational use with the opening of Riverside High School. Renovating the armory for use as a school cost $10 million, and was completed in June 2018.
History
Construction began on the
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
550,000 project in February 1936, and the building was officially dedicated as the Indianapolis Naval Reserve Armory at a ceremony on October 29, 1938. John K. Jennings, Indiana State WPA administrator, presented the building to Elmer F. Streub, adjutant-general, who then presented it to Captain O.F. Heslar, commandant of the Indiana State Naval Reserve. Louis J. Bornstein, representing the citizen's dedication committee, served as toastmaster. Guests included Lieutenant-Governor
Henry F. Schricker
Henry Frederick Schricker (August 30, 1883 – December 28, 1966) was an American politician who served as the 36th and 38th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1941 to 1945 and from 1949 to 1953. He is the only Indiana governor elected ...
; Indianapolis Mayor
Walter C. Boetcher; Admiral Hayne Ellis, commander of the
Ninth Naval District
The naval district was a U.S. Navy military and administrative command ashore. Apart from Naval District Washington, the Districts were disestablished and renamed Navy Regions about 1999, and are now under Commander, Naval Installations Command ...
; and representatives of the Navy Department and the Navy Reserves of several states.
The structure was built of reinforced architectural concrete with steel roof trusses. Upon completion, the four-story building included a navigation bridge, signal hoist, magazine, battle telephones, boiler room, radio communication, watertight bulkheads, ship's ladders, galley, swimming pool, gymnasium, rifle range, classrooms, and mess and quarters for officers and enlisted staff. The mess hall and gymnasium were decorated with murals depicting famous naval battles and events.
Inscribed around the rotunda and on the walls of the exterior are the surnames of several significant figures in Naval History including
George H. Preble
George Henry Preble (February 25, 1816 – March 1, 1885) was an American naval officer and writer, notable for his history of the flag of the United States and for taking the first photograph of the Fort McHenry flag that inspired the U.S. natio ...
,
George Dewey
George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, with ...
,
Oliver Hazard Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was an American naval commander, born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The best-known and most prominent member
of the Perry family naval dynasty, he was the son of Sarah Wallace A ...
,
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...
, and
David Glasgow Farragut
David Glasgow Farragut (; also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. Fa ...
.
On November 20, 1939, Captain O. F. Heslar (1891–1970) took command of the armory and , the
gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.
History Pre-steam ...
aboard which the Naval Reserve force trained on
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
each summer. Captain Heslar remained in this capacity through November 1940, when he was ordered to take his ship and her crew to
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
, for refitting. It was here that the vessel was transferred to the active U.S. Navy and was docked at
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...
when that base was
attacked by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. She survived the attack while shooting down at least two enemy
fighters
Fighter(s) or The Fighter(s) may refer to:
Combat and warfare
* Combatant, an individual legally entitled to engage in hostilities during an international armed conflict
* Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy or damage enemy warplan ...
, and participated in rescue and salvage operations immediately afterward.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the inland location was ideal when generals and admirals, seeking to avoid the constant surveillance on the coasts, gathered regularly at the armory in Indianapolis to plan their Atlantic and Pacific campaigns, including elements of the pivotal
Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norma ...
that began June 6, 1944. Throughout World War II, the Indianapolis Naval Reserve Armory remained a vital facility where radioman and yeoman recruits trained for sea duty. Following that conflict it returned to a peacetime reserve function. In 1946, the United States Marine Corps reactivated Headquarters Co. 16th Infantry Battalion for training and ordered them to Heslar. This unit was called for duty in
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
in 1950.
On December 12, 1964, the Indianapolis Naval Armory was renamed the Heslar Naval Armory in honor of its first and longest-serving commanding officer in a dinner ceremony emceed by Harry T. Ice. Mrs. Heslar was ill and unable to attend, but a tape recording was played for her later in their home in New Augusta. In attendance were Heslar's son, Lieutenant Fred G. Heslar USNR, and his wife, as well as former Indiana Governor
Ralph Gates
Ralph Fesler Gates (February 24, 1893 - July 28, 1978) was an American politician who served as the 37th governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1945 to 1949. A lawyer and veteran of World War I, he is credited with returning his party to pow ...
; Rear Admiral Howard A. Yeager, Commandant of the Ninth Naval District, Great Lakes Illinois; Colonel George P. Hill Jr, Commanding Officer of Fort Harrison; Commander Joseph W. Tilford, commanding officer of the Indianapolis Naval Reserve; Brigadier General John D. Friday of the Indiana National Guard; Brigadier General G. Wray DePrez Indiana National Guard (ret.), president of the Indiana State Armory Board; Brigadier General Kenneth E. Keene, assistant chief, Indiana Air National Guard; Captain James C. Wootton, commanding officer of Naval Avionics Facility; Captain Firman F. Knachel; and Captain Robert O. Jackson, commander of Indiana Naval Forces.
Unveiled at the ceremony was a plaque that is now mounted on the exterior of the rotunda and reads:
Heslar Naval Armory
in honor of
Captain Ola Fred Heslar, USNR (Ret.)
Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve
State of Indiana 1921-1940
A dedicated Naval officer and true hoosier, Captain Heslar has given unselfishly of his time, knowledge, and efforts to further the Naval Reserve and the Indiana Naval Forces.
Held in the highest esteem by his fellow officers and fellow hoosiers, it is altogether fitting that this armory be dedicated and so named.
Matthew E. Welsh
Governor, State of Indiana
1964
In 1978, after the nearby Marine Reserve facility in Riverside Municipal Park was damaged, a decision was made to renovate the Armory and accommodate local Marine Reserve Components. Renovation began in 1977 with the removal of nearly all non-support internal structure and replacing them with a more modern floorplan. Also, a large parking lot was created on the former site of the
Riverside Amusement Park. On November 1, 1978, the facility was re-designated as a Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center.
In early 2015 the Navy and the Marine Corps discontinued use of the facility. Renovations to convert the armory into Riverside High School were completed in June 2018.
Heslar Naval Armory has been listed as a
contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distri ...
to the
Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System
The Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System is a group of parks, parkways, and boulevards in Indianapolis, Indiana, that was designed by landscape architect George Edward Kessler in the early part of the twentieth century. Also known as the Kessler ...
, along with several other sites and buildings. The buildings together form a
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
that has been listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
since 2003.
Captain Ola F. Heslar (1891–1970)
![Captain Heslar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Captain_Heslar.jpg)
Ola Fred Heslar was born October 5, 1891, in
Brazil, Indiana
Brazil is a city in Clay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 7,912 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clay County. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current chief executive of Brazil ...
, to Walter and Minnie (née Rhodes) Heslar. He attended grade school in Brazil and Crawfordsville, and high school in Indianapolis. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1907 and, after basic training, was assigned to a submarine in the
Philippine Islands
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. Later, he was stationed at
Norfolk Navy Yard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest industrial facility tha ...
as a radioman.
In April 1913, Heslar married Alice Marie Young of Rockland, Maine. He earned a commission in 1916 and served aboard in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Next, and no doubt in reflection of his experience as a radioman, Heslar was assigned as Officer-in-Charge of the Transatlantic Radio Station in
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker (1758–1845), and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry in the United States, as is often described.Stemmer, Peter H"The Port of ...
.
From 1919 until 1920, Heslar served as a staff officer under Admiral
Henry Braid Wilson
Henry Braid Wilson, Jr. (23 February 1861 – 30 January 1954) was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War I.
Biography
Wilson was a native of Camden, New Jersey. He joined the United States Navy in the latter part of the ninete ...
, Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANT), 1919–1921. He continued that duty under
Admiral Hilary P. Jones when Admiral Jones accepted the post of Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet in 1922.
In 1922, Capt. Heslar retired from active Navy service and entered the
U.S. Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Sele ...
. He was assigned to active duty as Area Commander of Indiana, and later Chief of Naval Affairs for the State of
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
. It was in these posts that he founded and organized the
Indiana Naval Forces by initiating the Indiana Naval Militia Act, which was passed into law on March 1, 1927. Also in this capacity, Capt. Heslar oversaw the construction of the Naval Armories at
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
and
Michigan City. Capt. Heslar set a standard that was to be followed nationwide by naval reserve training and operational facilities when he established the first naval training activities at Heslar Naval Armory. During this time, Captain Heslar was also a member of the Great Lakes Commission of Indiana, and the Indiana Board of Public Harbors.
Heslar's first wife died in August 1930, having borne no children. In 1934, Heslar remarried to Mabel Kathleen Gasaway of Indianapolis. In July 1938, Fred Gasaway Heslar, Capt. Heslar's only child, was born.
With the beginning of World War II Capt. Heslar returned to staff and combat duties serving as Director of Training, 9th Naval District, Great Lakes, Illinois and, later, on the staff of Admiral
William Halsey
William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 1959) was an American United States Navy, Navy admiral during World War II. He is one of four officers to have attained the rank of five-star Fleet admiral (United States), f ...
. On May 17, 1943 Capt. Heslar was awarded an honorary doctorate of law from
DePauw University
DePauw University is a private liberal arts university in Greencastle, Indiana. It has an enrollment of 1,972 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the G ...
. He then went on to perform postgraduate work at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
and
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
.
In 1944, it was announced that Captain Heslar would be promoted to rear admiral. However, due to his health, he was sent to the
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic () is a nonprofit American academic medical center focused on integrated health care, education, and research. It employs over 4,500 physicians and scientists, along with another 58,400 administrative and allied health staff, ...
and forced to permanently retire from Naval Service. In 1959, he was awarded the
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritoriou ...
for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service.
Upon returning home to Indianapolis, newly elected Republican Governor Ralph M. Gates appointed Captain Heslar to the position of Indiana State Purchasing Director, which the Captain assumed on February 1, 1945. As of January 12, 1946, he was a member of the
Republican Party
Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party.
Republican Party may also refer to:
Africa
*Republican Party (Liberia)
* Republican Part ...
, the Blue Lodge
Free and Accepted Masons
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, the
Columbia Club
The Columbia Club is a private club located on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The current structure was built in 1925 as the club's third home on the same site.
Club history
The Columbia Club was originally formed on February ...
, the
Woodstock Club
Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...
, and the
Methodist Church
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...
.
Commanding officers
Artifacts
![USS Grayback Memorial](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/USS_Grayback_Memorial.jpg)
Heslar Naval Armory is home to several artifacts of Naval history including:
* a bell from cast in 1942 with the commissioning of that ship.
* a bell from cast in 1932 with the commissioning of that ship.
* a damaged flag recovered from USS ''Indianapolis'' presented to the city of
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
on February 2, 1960 by the Indianapolis Council of the Navy League of the United States.
* a memorial to established by the Submarine Veterans of W.W.II, Hoosier Squadron. This memorial has since been removed and moved to a location unknown.
* a flag recovered from , hung in the wardroom.
* a quartermaster's logbook from USS ''Indiana'' in 1943.
* original blueprints for USS ''Indiana''.
NOSC Indianapolis logo
The logo for NOSC Indianapolis (then NMCRC Indianapolis) was created by QM1 Jerome (Jerry) Bennett and approved by CDR Lee Shafer in 1980. The eagle represents the US, the Hoosier homeland is represented by the state's outline. The unique nature of the WPA constructed building represents the peacetime home of the reservist. The ship's wheel is for guidance, and the anchor for stability – both values central to Navy Reserve Training.
References
External links
United States Navy Reserve websiteIndiana Wing Civil Air Patrol*
ttps://books.google.com/books?id=bg13QcMSsq8C&dq=heslar+naval+armory&pg=PA672 Google Books- The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis- Heslar Naval Armory listingbr>
Google Earth display for Heslar Naval ArmoryA history project about the building (currently under construction)
{{IUPUI Jaguars men's basketball navbox
United States Navy installations
United States Navy Reserve
Armories in Indiana
Military installations in Indiana
IUPUI Jaguars men's basketball
Works Progress Administration in Indiana
Historic district contributing properties in Indiana
National Register of Historic Places in Indianapolis
1936 establishments in Indiana