The State Arsenal and Armory, formally the Governor William A. O'Neill State Armory and informally the Connecticut State Armory, is a historic military facility at 360 Broad Street in
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
. Built in 1906, it is a distinctive example of Classical Revival architecture, built using then-innovative construction techniques involving concrete and cast stone. It was 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 ...
in 1996.
It serves as the headquarters of the
Connecticut State Militia
The Connecticut State Militia are the Armed Forces of the State of Connecticut under the authority of the Governor and the Adjutant General of the state.
Classes of Militia
The Connecticut State Militia is divided into two classes: the National ...
.
Description and history
The Connecticut State Arsenal and Armory is a large building located on the west side of the state capitol complex west of downtown Hartford. It is located just south of
Interstate 84 and west of the Legislative Office Building, on the east side of Broad Street. The building functionally has two sections: a three-story "head house", in which offices and other facilities are located, and a large drill hall with a gabled roof. It is built mainly out of rough-cut granite blocks in an eclectic Classical Revival styling. Windows are generally narrow, and set in separate openings grouped up to three in a row. Limestone stringcourses top the first and third floors on the headhouse, where pilasters articulate the corners. The main entrance is set in the center of a broad projecting section of the headhouse, in a round-arch opening. The interior of the drill hall is in size, with a ramp from Broad Street providing ready access for the movement of heavy equipment. Its roof is constructed out of prefabricated concrete panels supported by steel trusses. The basement level houses weapons storage areas and formerly housed a firing range.
The state began considering construction of a major new armory facility in the early 20th century. After a drawn-out decision-making and land acquisition process, the present building was dedicated in 1909. Its design was by Benjamin Wistar Morris III, who had worked as draftsman at
Carrere & Hastings Carrere or Carrère may refer to:
As a name
* Georges Carrère (1897–1986), French classical violinist
* Edward Carrere (1906–1984), Mexican art director
* Emmanuel Carrère (1957–), French author, screenwriter, and director
* Fernando Car ...
before opening his own office in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in 1900. At the time of this building's development,
John M. Carrere was a consultant to the city, and recommended its placement in the legislative area as part of a
City Beautiful
The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. It was a part of the ...
design plan. The building's trim was originally cast cement, with the molds and forming taking place on site. This trim was replaced with limestone during a major rehabilitation in the 1990s.
[
]
Sports
The State Arsenal and Armory has been used as the home venue for the Connecticut Pride
The Connecticut Pride (From 1993-94 the Hartford Hellcats) were an American professional basketball team based in Hartford, Connecticut that was a member of the Continental Basketball Association. They played in Hartford from 1993 to 2000, primar ...
basketball team and the Hartford FoxForce
The Hartford FoxForce were a professional co-ed tennis team in Connecticut that competed in the World TeamTennis (WTT).
History
In 1999, owner Lisa Wilson-Foley and her husband franchised the World TeamTennis team Hartford FoxForce in Hartford ...
tennis team.
See also
*
References
{{National Register of Historic Places
Armories on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut
National Register of Historic Places in Hartford, Connecticut
Military installations established in 1906
Buildings and structures in Hartford, Connecticut
1906 establishments in Connecticut