Naval Reserve Armory
 | This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. (January 2013) |
Naval Reserve Armory | |
 Naval Reserve Armory and Lake Union Park as viewed from the Space Needle | |
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| Location | 860 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 47°37′39.4″N 122°20′13.2″W / 47.627611°N 122.337000°W |
| Area | 1.42 acres (5,700 m2)[2] |
| Built | 1941–1942 |
| Architect | B. Marcus Priteca, William R. Grant |
| Architectural style | Moderne, Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000506[1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 8, 2009[3] |
The Naval Reserve Armory is a building in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is a large concrete structure influenced by the Moderne and Art Deco movements, which was built by the Works Progress Administration from 1941 to 1942.[2] The main interior feature is a 133 x 100 ft (40.5 x 30 m) drill hall which was used by the U.S. Naval Reserve to train thousands of young recruits for service in World War II.[2] The building is noted for its association with mass mobilization during the war as well as its involvement with Depression-era work relief.[2]
The building was designed by Seattle architect William R. Grant and B. Marcus Priteca. Its construction was initially promoted by a citizens' committee but delayed by fears it would be a white elephant; eventually politicians endorsed and promoted the project, and it secured a $99,997 WPA grant. Later a $69,983 increase was granted, and the project was also funded by $6,399 from the State of Washington and $14,204 from, perhaps uncharacteristically, the University of Washington.[2]
Construction of the building cost a total of $500,000. It was dedicated on July 4, 1942, a "grim summer" point during the war, at a ceremony attended by honored guest Mrs. Peter Barber, whose three sons had been killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.[2]
The armory was decommissioned after the war, but received renovation funding in 1946. It was disestablished in 1998. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on July 8, 2009; the listing was announced as the featured listing in the National Park Service's weekly list of July 17, 2009.[4] As of that year, the building remained in good condition.[2]
In 2012, the armory underwent a major renovation, and became home to Seattle's Museum of History and Industry.[5] It is situated in what is now the Lake Union Park at the south end of Lake Union, a lake which was connected to Puget Sound by the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1917. Previously the site had been used by the Eastern Mill, a sawmill.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Sonja Sokol Furesz and Susan Boyle (March 4, 2009). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Naval Reserve Armory" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved September 10, 2009. (64 pages, with maps, plans, historic photos, and 16 recent exterior and interior photos)
- ^ "Announcements and actions on properties for the National Register of Historic Places". Weekly Listings. National Park Service. July 17, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly List Actions". National Park Service. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
- ^ "Home". mohai.org.
External links[edit]
- Naval Reserve Armory photo, at Seattle Department of Neighborhoods landmarks
- "Lake Union Armory" photo, at Seattle Parks and Recreation Department
- Lake Union Park, with some info about the armory, at Seattle Parks and Recreation Department
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- Naval installations in Washington (state)
- Military facilities on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state)
- Art Deco architecture in Washington (state)
- 1940s architecture in the United States
- Military facilities in Seattle
- World War II on the National Register of Historic Places
- South Lake Union, Seattle
- National Register of Historic Places in Seattle
- 1942 establishments in Washington (state)