University of Minnesota Armory

	University of Minnesota Armory
	U.S. Historic district ; Contributing property
	University of Minnesota Armory
Location	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Coordinates	44°58′37″N93°13′56″W / 44.97694°N 93.23222°W
Built	1896
Architect	Charles Ronald Aldrich
Part of	University of Minnesota Old Campus Historic District (ID84001463 )
Designated CP	August 23, 1984

Last updated February 05, 2025

"Iron Mike" a memorial to student soldiers, stands outside the Armory StatueArmory.jpg — "Iron Mike" a memorial to student soldiers, stands outside the Armory

The University of Minnesota Armory is a building on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Armory was constructed in 1896 after the previous space for military training on the campus burnt in a fire in 1894.^[2] The facility served as the primary home for the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team as well as the University of Minnesota Marching Band after its construction.^[3]^[4] The basketball team moved to the Kenwood Armory in Downtown Minneapolis in 1925 while the band moved to the newly completed Music Education Building in 1922.^[5]^[6] Fielding H. Yost, Michigan Wolverines football coach, forgot the Little Brown Jug, one of the oldest college football traveling trophies, in the locker rooms of the Armory in 1903.^[2] The Armory was also the facility used for the University of Minnesota physical education department until 1935.^[7] The school's football team played some of their early games on the open field next to the Armory.

It is a contributing property in the University of Minnesota Old Campus Historic District, a historic district that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Currently, it is used as the classrooms and office space of the University's three ROTC units, and offices for the University's program for High School students, with the gymnasium being available for campus activities.

Outside the Armory building, there is a nine foot tall statue of a soldier on a seven-ton, six-foot-high Vermont granite pedestal. It is called "Iron Mike" and a memorial plaque underneath reads: "erected in honor of the students of the University who served their country in the war with Spain, 1898-99.” Sculptor Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson designed the statue, which was commissioned and paid for by a committee that had originally been formed to send Christmas gifts to student soldiers in the 13th Minnesota Regiment, who were stationed in Manila. Professor Arthur E. Haynes, who chaired this committee, suggested doing something more than just sending gifts. He donated the first ten dollars and led the fundraising and process of designing the statue. It was unveiled in 1906.

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References

↑ "University of Minnesota Old Campus Historic District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. August 23, 1984.
1 2 "History and Philosophy of Reserver Officer Training." University of Minnesota ROTC Alumni Society. http://www.umnrotcalumnisociety.org/history.php Archived 2005-09-11 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Hugunin, Marc; Stew Thornley (2006). Minnesota Hoops: Basketball in the North Star State (PDF). St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 6. ISBN 0-87351-574-9.
↑ Bencriscutto, Frank; Mike Gaffron (1992). Minnesota Hats Off to Thee. Taylor Publishing Company. p. 12. ISBN 0-9629747-0-6.
↑ Hugunin and Thornley, pg. 50.
↑ Bencriscutto and Gaffron, pg. 30-31.
↑ "History." University of Minnesota Air Force ROTC. http://www.afrotc.umn.edu/History/Armory.htm

8. "The History of the Armory" https://arotc.umn.edu/history

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[nris-1] "University of Minnesota Old Campus Historic District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. August 23, 1984.

[ROTC_Alumni_Society-2] 1 2 "History and Philosophy of Reserver Officer Training." University of Minnesota ROTC Alumni Society. http://www.umnrotcalumnisociety.org/history.php Archived 2005-09-11 at the Wayback Machine

[3] Hugunin, Marc; Stew Thornley (2006). Minnesota Hoops: Basketball in the North Star State (PDF). St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 6. ISBN 0-87351-574-9.

[4] Bencriscutto, Frank; Mike Gaffron (1992). Minnesota Hats Off to Thee. Taylor Publishing Company. p. 12. ISBN 0-9629747-0-6.

[5] Hugunin and Thornley, pg. 50.

[6] Bencriscutto and Gaffron, pg. 30-31.

[7] "History." University of Minnesota Air Force ROTC. http://www.afrotc.umn.edu/History/Armory.htm

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v t e Minnesota Golden Gophers football
Venues	Athletic Park (1892–1898) University of Minnesota Armory (1892–1898) Northrop Field (1899–1923) Memorial Stadium (1924–1981) Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (1982–2008) Huntington Bank Stadium (2009–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Iowa Michigan: Little Brown Jug Nebraska Penn State: Governor's Victory Bell Wisconsin
Culture & lore	Goldy Gopher Marching band Spirit squad "Minnesota Rouser" "Minnesota March" "Go Gopher Victory" "Minnesota Fight" "Our Minnesota" "Hail! Minnesota" "Battle Hymn of the Republic" Minnesota shift T formation Smith of Minnesota
People	Head coaches Annual awards NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1882 1883 1884–1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
National championship seasons in bold

v t e Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball
Venues	On-campus YMCA (1895–1896) UM Armory (1896–1925) Kenwood Armory (1925–1928) Williams Arena (1928–present)
Culture & lore	Goldy Gopher "Minnesota Rouser" Scandal
People	Head coaches NBA players Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Helms and Premo-Porretta national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearance in italics

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University of Minnesota Armory
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

University of Minnesota Armory
Location	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Coordinates	44°58′37″N93°13′56″W / 44.97694°N 93.23222°W / 44.97694; -93.23222
Built	1896
Architect	Charles Ronald Aldrich
Part of	University of Minnesota Old Campus Historic District (ID84001463 ^[1])
Designated CP	August 23, 1984