Oklahoma National Guard Armory - Oklahoma City, OK
Posted by: hamquilter
N 35° 29.555 W 097° 30.555
14S E 635218 N 3928692
This state armory built in 1938 is scheduled for a major renovation.
Waymark Code: WM11ZVC
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 01/18/2020
Views: 4
The Oklahoma National Guard Armory located west of the Capitol at 200 N. E. 23rd Street, is an armory constructed in 1938 by the WPA. The architect was Bryan W. Nolen who designed many of Oklahoma's armories. During WWII and the Korean War it served as a training area for the Oklahoma 45th Infantry Division. In 2019 it was placed on the National Register, was purchased, and will be renovated into a hotel/restaurant/bar and pool club, expected to be open in late summer 2021.
Unlike so many of the native sandstone armories, this one is constructed of light colored brick. Its Art Deco features are classic. A two-story office area projects from the north and west of the main drill hall. The windows have six-over-six double-hung sashes. A panel of vertically set bricks decorates the area between all the first and second story windows. The main entrance on the north has a two-story projected bay with two glass entry doors. Above these doors is a panel of nine windows. Six of these are fixed nine-light windows, with the upper three being double-hung. A double-sided cornerstone on the northeast corner of the building shows the construction date of 1938. Large red letters on the north upper walls read: OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY.
A large three-story open drill hall, the size of half a football field, covers the bulk of the rectangular building. On each elevation are one and two-story flat-roofed office and classroom buildings. Three story stairwells are located at each corner of the drill area. A row of seven overhead vehicle doors is located on the east. In days past, these huge drill halls were often used by the community for concerts, social gatherings and exhibits. This armory was originally on the BRAC list for closings, but was removed from the last and remained open. It was used as a Recruiting and Retention office of the National Guard, and was occasionally the venue for community activities, until it became vacant in the 2000's.