St. Peter Armory

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St. Peter Armory
St. Peter Armory.jpg
The St. Peter Armory from the northwest
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Location 419 S. Minnesota Avenue, St. Peter, Minnesota
Coordinates 44°19′21.4″N93°57′29″W / 44.322611°N 93.95806°W / 44.322611; -93.95806 Coordinates: 44°19′21.4″N93°57′29″W / 44.322611°N 93.95806°W / 44.322611; -93.95806
Area Less than one acre
Built 1912–13
Built by Ole Fredricksen
Architect James F. Denson
Architectural style Late Gothic Revival
NRHP reference # 96001558 [1]
Designated  January 9, 1997

The St. Peter Armory is a former National Guard Armory in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. Built from 1912 to 1913, it is one of the oldest armories still standing in Minnesota and was the first one to be owned by the state upon its completion. [2] It was designed in a restrained Gothic Revival style which captures a transition in Minnesota armory design from heavy, fortresslike buildings to the simpler designs of the 1920s. [3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 for having local significance in the themes of architecture, military history, and social history. [4] It was nominated for being an excellent example of Minnesota's pre-World War I armories, as well as for its early status, transitional architecture, and role in St. Peter as a center not only of military affairs but also social and recreational events. [3]

National Guard Armory Wikipedia disambiguation page

A National Guard Armory, National Guard Armory Building, or National Guard Readiness Center is any one of numerous buildings of the U.S. National Guard where a unit trains, meets, and parades. A readiness center supports the training, administration, and logistics of National Guard units by providing assembly space, classrooms, weapons and protective personal equipment storage, and training space. Readiness centers can also be utilized as communal assembly areas, utilized by local organizations and governments.

St. Peter, Minnesota City in Minnesota, United States

St. Peter is a city located in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The city is located 10 miles north of the Mankato – North Mankato metropolitan area. The population was 11,196 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicollet County. Saint Peter is the home of Gustavus Adolphus College.

Gothic Revival architecture architectural movement

Gothic Revival is an architectural movement popular in the Western World that began in the late 1740s in England. Its popularity grew rapidly in the early 19th century, when increasingly serious and learned admirers of neo-Gothic styles sought to revive medieval Gothic architecture, in contrast to the neoclassical styles prevalent at the time. Gothic Revival draws features from the original Gothic style, including decorative patterns, finials, lancet windows, hood moulds and label stops.

Contents

Origin

The St. Peter Armory grew out of the Militia Act of 1903. The act laid out the circumstances in which the National Guard could be federalized, and organized the Guard like the regular army. In addition, the act provided funding for military training and the construction of National Guard armories. Eight years later a board to oversee armory construction in Minnesota was created. Three armories were to be built per year. The legislature eventually appropriated $15,000 for each new armory. The state shared construction costs with the host cities. Armories built before 1911 generally had been financed with city money and through private fundraising. [2]

Militia Act of 1903

The Militia Act of 1903, also known as "The Efficiency in Militia Act of 1903", also known as the Dick Act, was legislation enacted by the United States Congress which created an early National Guard and codified the circumstances under which the Guard could be federalized. It also provided federal funds to pay for equipment and training, including annual summer encampments. This new entity was to organize units of similar form and quality to those of the regular Army, with intents to meet the same training, education, and readiness requirements as active duty units.

The St. Peter Armory has a Medieval Revival-influenced design. A large number of the nation's pre-World War I armories were built in this style, which had fortress-like elements. It had been popular in armory design since the 1880s. In the 20th century, architects began moving away from the Medieval Revival style. Armories became less fortress-like and more civically oriented in their design. The St. Peter Armory has Medieval Revival, as well as civically influenced elements. It is an excellent example of the transition in armory design that was occurring at the time. The armory was designed by architect James F. Denson and built by Ole Fredricksen of St. Peter. [2]

World War I 1914–1918 global war originating in Europe

World War I, also known as the First World War or the Great War, was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. Contemporaneously described as "the war to end all wars", it led to the mobilisation of more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, making it one of the largest wars in history. It is also one of the deadliest conflicts in history, with an estimated nine million combatants and seven million civilian deaths as a direct result of the war, while resulting genocides and the 1918 influenza pandemic caused another 50 to 100 million deaths worldwide.

Use

St. Peter's Company K of the Second Infantry Regiment, Minnesota National Guard, was the first unit based at the armory. The unit served during the 1916–1917 height of the U.S.–Mexican Border War and World War I. [2]

Minnesota National Guard

The Minnesota National Guard is composed of more than 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen, serving in 61 communities across the state. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. Those functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President or Congress.

After World War I the Minnesota National Guard reorganized. The Armory became home to Company D of the 205th Infantry Regiment. In the years between the World Wars the Minnesota National Guard was called to duty more than thirty times. During World War II the St. Peter unit was deployed to the Aleutian Islands. After World War II the Minnesota National Guard reorganized again. The St. Peter unit was designated a Service Battery of the First Battalion, 125th Field Artillery of the 47th Division. The unit was activated during the Korean War.

World War II 1939–1945 global war

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

Aleutian Islands chain of islands in the Northern Pacific

The Aleutian Islands are a chain of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller ones belonging to both the U.S. state of Alaska and the Russian federal subject of Kamchatka Krai. They form part of the Aleutian Arc in the Northern Pacific Ocean, occupying an area of 6,821 sq mi (17,666 km2) and extending about 1,200 mi (1,900 km) westward from the Alaska Peninsula toward the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, and mark a dividing line between the Bering Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Crossing longitude 180°, at which point east and west longitude end, the archipelago contains both the westernmost part of the United States by longitude and the easternmost by longitude. The westernmost U.S. island in real terms, however, is Attu Island, west of which runs the International Date Line. While nearly all the archipelago is part of Alaska and is usually considered as being in the "Alaskan Bush", at the extreme western end, the small, geologically related Commander Islands belong to Russia.

Korean War 1950–1953 war between North Korea and South Korea

The Korean War was a war between North Korea and South Korea. The war began on 25 June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following a series of clashes along the border.

The armory also served as a community center. Military clubs met there as well as the local American Legion post. The armory was one of the city's principal social and recreational facilities for about 65 years. Trade shows, conventions, sporting events, dances, roller skating parties, and educational activities were held there. [2]

American Legion U.S. war veterans organization

The American Legion is a U.S. war veterans organization headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is made up of state, U.S. territory, and overseas departments, and these are in turn made up of local posts. The legislative body of The American Legion is a national convention, held annually. The organization was founded on March 15, 1919, at the American Club near Place de la Concorde in Paris, France, by members of the American Expeditionary Forces, and it was chartered on September 16, 1919, by the U.S. Congress.

The local National Guard unit eventually outgrew the St. Peter Armory. After World War II the size of guard units in the state expanded from an average of 66 to 135 men. In addition, the amount and size of military equipment grew. The Guard eventually replaced most of its so-called "60-man" armories like St. Peter's. [2]

The St. Peter Armory was used by the National Guard until about 1983 when a new armory was completed at the northern edge of the city. The former armory became a sales office for an athletic equipment manufacturer. The Armory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. In March 2014 the property was for sale. [2]

See also

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References

CC-BY-SA icon.svg This article incorporates text from MNopedia, which is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
  1. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DeCarlo, Peter J. (2015-05-02). "St. Peter Armory". MNopedia. Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  3. 1 2 Granger, Susan; Kay Grossman (1996-02-15). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: St. Peter Armory (Report). National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-08-21.
  4. ↑ "St. Peter Armory". Minnesota National Register Properties Database. Minnesota Historical Society. 2009. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
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