Cranston Street Armory: A historic building in Providence

Located at the southern end of the Dexter Training Ground, the Cranston Street Armory was built in 1907 by William R. Walker & Son. The armory was occupied by the Rhode Island National Guard from its opening until 1996, but its history goes beyond military exercises. Built with a steel-truss frame, two towers, and 165,000 square feet of space, the main hall alone is as wide as two football fields. After World War I, the armory was used by the 243rd Coast Artillery, the 103rd Field Artillery Brigade, and in later years by the 43rd Military Police Brigade and the 118th Military Police Battalion.

In the late 1980s, the armory's main hall was closed to public events due to structural problems, but it was not abandoned. Instead, it was used for bluescreen work for several films, including Outside Providence (1999) and Underdog (2007). Today, the armory houses the office of the Rhode Island State Fire Marshal and storage space for other Rhode Island state agencies. Its distinctive yellow bricks, crenellated turrets, and decorative stonework mark it as a historically significant building and neighborhood icon.

The armory was listed as one of "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1997. Despite being in desperate need of repair, the building remains a central part of the Broadway–Armory Historic District. It has recently hosted car shows, inaugural balls, and track meets, continuing its long history as a community landmark.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons