The Squadron A Armory is a former United States Army
armory
Armory or armoury may mean:
* An arsenal, a military or civilian location for the storage of arms and ammunition
Places
*National Guard Armory, in the United States and Canada, a training place for National Guard or other part-time or regular mili ...
and was the home base of
Squadron A
Squadron A refers to the historic cavalry unit of New York City's Upper East Side.
Squadron A originated with a group of wealthy young gentlemen with great interest in Equestrianism, equestrian sport who formed themselves into a group called the ' ...
. It took up the whole block between
Madison Avenue
Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square (at 23rd Street) to meet the southbound Harlem River Drive at 142nd Stre ...
and
Park Avenue
Park Avenue is a wide New York City boulevard which carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenu ...
, between 94th and 95th Street. It was therefore also known as the Madison Avenue Armory. A surviving part of the building is 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 ...
as Madison Avenue Facade of the Squadron A Armory and is a
New York City landmark
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...
.
A stone plaque with the squadron's cry "''Boutez en avant!''", translated variously as "Press forward!" or simply "Charge!", is located on the wall at Madison Avenue.
History
The building was built in 1895 by a New York City contractor named John F. Johnson.
It was constructed with red bricks, featuring massive walls with towers. It also included about 100 horse stalls to house Squadron A's horses.
The building was partially demolished in the 1960s; however, an emergency action from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, which designated it a landmark, stopping the demolition of the Madison Avenue facade.
That facade was later added to 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 ...
in 1972.
When the eastern building was rebuilt, it was done in a style similar to the original.
Usage
Today, the eastern and central part of the site are used by
Hunter College High School
Hunter College High School is a secondary school located in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is administered by Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY). Hunter is publicly funded, and there i ...
and
Elementary School
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
as the schools' main campus. The outline of some of the former walls is lined with trees.
See also
*
*
Seventh Regiment Armory
The Seventh Regiment Armory, also known as Park Avenue Armory, is a historic National Guard armory building located at 643 Park Avenue in the Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The building is a brick and stone structure bu ...
References
External links
Squadron A Armory Ruins and Hunter College High SchoolThe City Review
1895 establishments in New York City
Armories in New York City
Government buildings completed in 1895
Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Manhattan
Hunter College
Infrastructure completed in 1895
Madison Avenue
New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan
Upper East Side
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