PLATEVILLE, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the listing of the Platteville Army National Guard Armory in Platteville (Grant County) on the State Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed through the efforts of the Progress Works Administration.
The Platteville Army National Guard Armory is a significant example of the impact of the New Deal Program; the building was constructed through funding provided by the Public Works Administration. During this time period, armories and National Guard facilities were financed by the state, local units of government, and/or private funding. However, as a result of the Great Depression, the New Deal program sought to help communities and citizens during a difficult time, which resulted in the federal government’s shift in exclusively financing these types of military buildings. The funding for the Platteville Army National Guard Armory was allocated in 1940 and construction started that year. It was completed in 1942 in the Art Deco style, designed by the Wisconsin state military architect Henry C. Hengels. The building was erected in a headhouse and drill hall plan. The drill hall remains intact today, featuring curved Art Deco balconies and a basketball court that was also utilized by the community over the years.
Today, the armory represents a permanent deviation of funding for National Guard buildings, as well as the most substantial Public Works Administration project in Platteville. It remains in use as a local community center.
The State Register is Wisconsin’s official list of state properties determined to be significant to Wisconsin’s heritage. The State Historic Preservation Office at the Wisconsin Historical Society administers both the State Register and National Register in Wisconsin.
Additional information for the Platteville Armory National Guard is available at:
https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/NationalRegister/NR2846
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit: www.wisconsinhistory.org.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.
