Duluth Armory
Creator:
Natalie Heneghan
Bibliography
Duluth Armory, National Register of Historic Places Nomination File, State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
http://www.mnhs.org/shpo/nrhp/images/0004_dulutharmory/
http://www.mnhs.org/shpo/nrhp/docs_pdfs/0004_dulutharmory.pdf
Editor’s Note: This nomination file was the main source used in the writing of this article.
Chronology
1896
Duluth builds its original National Guard Armory.
1899
Minnesota establishes a Naval Reserve, with two divisions in Duluth.
1913
Public interest in a new armory grows.
1915
Duluth builds a new armory. The city holds a grand opening celebration on November 22.
1917
Minnesota establishes the Home Guard. Throughout World War I, Duluth’s Third Battalion of the Home Guard assists in local disaster-relief efforts.
1940
Local workers begin to build a flat-roof addition to the armory with funding from the WPA.
1941
The Minnesota State Guard forms as a response to World War II. Its men begin to meet weekly at the armory.
1959
Buddy Holly performs to a Duluth Armory crowd that includes a young Bob Dylan.
1966
Duluth Arena-Auditorium (now Duluth Entertainment Convention Center) is built, creating competition with the armory for event bookings.
1978
The City of Duluth purchases the armory for $160,000. It uses the Head House for municipal offices and the Drill Hall as a garage for maintenance vehicles.
2000
Demolition of the armory is slated for September 2001.
2001
The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota lists the armory on its “Ten Most Endangered Historic Places” list.
2004
A Duluth non-profit group, the Armory Arts and Music Center, buys the building from the city for one dollar.
2010
The Minnesota Historic Structure Rehabilitation State Tax Credit is established, creating a potential funding source for redevelopment of the armory.
2011
The Duluth Armory is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bibliography
Duluth Armory, National Register of Historic Places Nomination File, State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
http://www.mnhs.org/shpo/nrhp/images/0004_dulutharmory/
http://www.mnhs.org/shpo/nrhp/docs_pdfs/0004_dulutharmory.pdf
Editor’s Note: This nomination file was the main source used in the writing of this article.