Article by Jennifer Driver


Overview

The Cranston Armory was originally built in 1907 to house the Rhode Island National Guard. It was designed by William H. Walker and Sons and built by M. J. Houlihan. It cost $650,000 to build. The armory is bordered by Cranston, Bridgham, Messer St. and Broadway Streets. In the 19th century, the armory site was first a state arsenal and then a mill. In 1895 the first armory commission bought the mill property and began building the armory in 1903. The armory was built to be comparable to those in Boston and in New York City. In addition to housing the Rhode Island National Guard it was used as the Providence Civic Center from 1909 to 1981. In 1941 the armory served as a statewide recruitment center for volunteers in World War II. However, in 1996 the Rhode Island National Guard moved out of the armory due to financial reasons and the Cranston Armory stands vacated and run down today.
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