State Arsenal | |
Location | Providence, Rhode Island |
---|---|
Coordinates | 41°49′42″N71°24′32″W / 41.82833°N 71.40889°W |
Built | 1839 |
Built by | Tallman & Bucklin |
Architect | Russell Warren |
Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 70000003 [1] |
Added to NRHP | April 28, 1970 |
The State Arsenal, originally the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery Arsenal, and commonly called the Benefit Street Arsenal is a historic armory building located at 176 Benefit Street in the College Hill neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1839, was designed by Russell Warren in the Gothic Revival style, and was built by Tallman & Bucklin.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
The arsenal was designed in 1839 by Russell Warren [2] and built by Tallman & Bucklin, all of Providence. [3]
In the 19th century the arsenal was used as the armory of the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery (PMCA) and associated artillery units in the Rhode Island Militia and was used as the mobilization site for 10 batteries of light artillery which were raised in Rhode Island during the American Civil War. [4] In addition to the PMCA the arsenal was used by a number of organizations including the Grand Army of the Republic, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and United Spanish War Veterans. [4]
The building originally sat one lot south of its current location, where its parking lot is today, but was moved in 1906 when a railroad tunnel was built under that site. [5]
In April 1920, the Rhode Island General Assembly earmarked $3,800 for the purpose of repairing the arsenal. [6]
On May 17, 1924, the Ku Klux Klan held an illegal meeting at the arsenal which attracted about 200 men. Governor William S. Flynn denounced the KKK and forbade the group from meeting on state property. [4]
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1970. [4]
In the 1980s the arsenal was in use by the Rhode Island National Guard's Education, Historical and Equal Opportunity offices.
As of 2008 the arsenal was in use as the location for the annual presentation of the Order of St. Barbara to soldiers of the 103d Field Artillery Regiment of the Rhode Island National Guard. It also serves as the headquarters of the PMCA (the de facto 103d Field Artillery veterans association) and houses a diverse collection of military artifacts.[ citation needed ]
Union Station describes two distinct, defunct train stations in Providence, Rhode Island. Parts of the latter one were renovated and the building contains offices and restaurants.
Thomas Alexander Tefft was an American architect, from Providence, Rhode Island. Tefft, one of the nation's first professionally trained architects, is considered a master of Rundbogenstil and a leading American proponent of its use. Prior to his untimely death, Tefft "offered the most advanced designs of [his] day in America"
The Westminster Arcade is an historic shopping center at 130 Westminster Street and 65 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island erected in 1828. It is notable as the first enclosed shopping mall in the United States and has been lauded as a fine example of commercial Greek Revival architecture. It served as a shopping center for many years before falling into decline in the late 20th century. It has since been closed for renovation and rehabilitation several times, and most recently reopened its doors in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use building. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.
College Hill is a historic neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island, and one of six neighborhoods comprising the city's East Side. It is roughly bounded by South and North Main Street to the west, Power Street to the south, Governor Street and Arlington Avenue to the east and Olney Street to the north. The neighborhood's primary commercial area extends along Thayer Street, a strip frequented by students in the Providence area.
The Beneficent Congregational Church is a United Church of Christ Congregationalist church located at 300 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island.
Russell Warren (1783–1860) was an American architect, best known for his work in the Greek Revival style. He practiced in Bristol and Providence.
S. Stephen's Church is an historic Episcopal church located at 114 George Street in the College Hill neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island. It is in the Brown University campus and is an active parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.
The Old State House on College Hill in Providence, Rhode Island, also known as Providence Sixth District Court House,Providence Colony House, Providence County House, and Rhode Island State House is located on 150 Benefit Street, with the front facade facing North Main Street. It is a brick Georgian-style building largely completed in 1762. It was used as the meeting place for the colonial and state legislatures for 149 years.
The Customhouse Historic District is a historic district encompassing fifteen historic buildings in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. The district is bounded by Westminster, Exchange, Dyer, Pine, and Peck Streets, and includes eight buildings associated with the important functions of the business center Providence became in the mid-to-late 19th century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and is completely contained within the Downtown Providence Historic District, listed in 1984.
The Hay and Owen Buildings are a pair of historic commercial buildings in Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
Shakespeare Hall is an historic commercial building at 128 Dorrance Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It is a six-story masonry structure, originally built as a three-story Greek Revival structure in 1838 to a design by Tallman & Bucklin. Its main facade has retained the massive granite pilasters and five-bay configuration from this period. Originally built to house a theater, the building suffered a massive fire in 1844, leaving only its exterior shell standing. It was afterward rebuilt to its present height, and a separate brick building at its rear was incorporated into its structure in the late 19th century. It was used as a warehouse in the 1860s, and has also housed light industrial operations. Today, the building is used largely for law office space.
The Broadway–Armory Historic District is a historic district encompassing a mainly residential mixed-used urban area west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island.
The Cranston Street Armory is an historic building in the Broadway–Armory Historic District of Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1907 at a cost of $650,000.00. The building was occupied by the Rhode Island National Guard from its opening until 1996. Since then, parts of the building have been used as film studios, and some of its offices occupied by the Rhode Island State Fire Marshal. The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the Armory as one of "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places" in its annual list for 1997. Its distinctive yellow bricks, crenellated turrets, and decorative stonework mark it as a historically significant building and neighborhood icon.
John Holden Greene (1777-1850) was a noted early nineteenth century architect practicing in Providence, Rhode Island. The bulk of his work dates to the late Federal period, and is mostly in the architectural style of the same name. Greene is responsible for the design of over fifty buildings built in the city between 1806 and 1830, almost half of which are still standing.
William R. Walker & Son was an American architectural firm in Providence, Rhode Island, active during the years 1881 to 1936. It included partners William Russell Walker (1830–1905), William Howard Walker (1856–1922) and later William Russell Walker II (1884–1936).
Alpheus C. Morse (1818-1893) was an American architect with offices in Providence, Rhode Island.
Jackson, Robertson & Adams was an architectural firm out of Providence, Rhode Island. Established in 1912, it was originally made up of architects F. Ellis Jackson (1879–1950), Wayland T. Robertson (1873–1935), and J. Howard Adams (1876–1924).
The 103rd Field Artillery Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. The only currently existing component is the 1st Battalion, 103rd Field Artillery Regiment, a unit of the Rhode Island National Guard. The regiment was originally constituted in 1917, but it descends from predecessor units dating back to 1801.
James C. Bucklin (1801-1890) was an American architect working in Providence, Rhode Island.
Charles P. Hartshorn was an American architect practicing in Providence, Rhode Island. He was a popular designer there in the decade immediately following the Civil War.