Old West Palm Beach National Guard Armory
Encyclopedia
The Old West Palm Beach National Guard Armory (also known as the Palm Beach County Armory) is a historic site in West Palm Beach
, Florida
, United States
. It is located at 1703 South Lake Avenue. On June 11, 1992, it was added to the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
.
style by architect William Manley King with Works Progress Administration
(WPA) funds. It was occupied by the National Guard Armory from 1939-1982. During the 1950s and 60s, the building was used for Palm Beach High School dances and other community events. In 1987, the Norton School of Art decided to close their doors and left 250 students and 40 faculty members with nowhere to have art classes. Robert and Mary Montgomery heard about the lack of space for an art center and made a $100,000 donation to open the Robert and Mary Montgomery Armory Art Center. The Center opened its doors in 1987 and has rented the building from Palm Beach County for $1 a year for the last 20 years. In 2002, Robert and Mary Montgomery donated $1 million to transfer their name to the historic building and remove it from the name of the organization which became simply Armory Art Center.
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located at 1703 South Lake Avenue. On June 11, 1992, it was added to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
The Armory building was constructed in 1939 in Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style by architect William Manley King with Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA) funds. It was occupied by the National Guard Armory from 1939-1982. During the 1950s and 60s, the building was used for Palm Beach High School dances and other community events. In 1987, the Norton School of Art decided to close their doors and left 250 students and 40 faculty members with nowhere to have art classes. Robert and Mary Montgomery heard about the lack of space for an art center and made a $100,000 donation to open the Robert and Mary Montgomery Armory Art Center. The Center opened its doors in 1987 and has rented the building from Palm Beach County for $1 a year for the last 20 years. In 2002, Robert and Mary Montgomery donated $1 million to transfer their name to the historic building and remove it from the name of the organization which became simply Armory Art Center.
External links
- Palm Beach County listings Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
- PB01161 Old Palm Beach National Guard Armory picture
- Armory Art Center of the Palm Beaches
