Tonawanda Armory
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
The Tonawanda Armory, which is now a wedding and event venue called Tonawanda Castle, is a historic armory built in 1896 for the 25th Separate Company of the U.S. National Guard. Remarkably, it was completed in only six months despite its large size (38,000 square feet). Architect Isaac Perry designed it in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and it cost three times more to build than other armories he designed. Its most prominent feature is the five-story, eight-sided tower. Its design was intended to inspire patriotism and, importantly, to remind residents—particuarly socialists, immigrant workers, and others who might challenge government authority by going on strike—of the presence of the federal government in the form of the National Guard. The armory is also significant in that it was a place for the community to gather for events such as basketball games. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
Images
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Sources
Todd, Nancy L. "Tonawanda (25th Separate Company) Armory." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. January 28, 1994. https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/93001539.pdf.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonawanda_Armory