Athens Armory
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
The Athens Ohio National Guard armory opened in 1915. The process of bringing an armory to Athens began in 1912, when the local Ohio National Guard company and city businessmen lobbied the state to provide funds. The state Armory Board approved the request and acquired land from the Athens Brick Company. Construction began in 1914, and by December of 1915 the building was open for drill and public events. The dedication ceremony took place in 1917, as the United States entered World War I and began mobilizing for war against Imperial Germany. For the next 80 years, the Ohio National Guard used the armory for drill while the Athens community held events in the building.
Images
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Sources
"Athens Armory Dedication Parade, Athens County Historical Society and Museum, Ohio History Connection Online Archive accessed 12/19/2016 http://www.ohiomemory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16007coll46/id/174
Powell, Dennis E. Honoring the Armory in memory of war. The Athens News. May 23, 2018. Accessed June 25, 2018. https://www.athensnews.com/news/local/honoring-the-armory-in-memory-of-war/article_febb5a36-5ea8-11e8-8a39-c70eddba3dde.html.