{"id":6705,"date":"2019-10-16T20:47:28","date_gmt":"2019-10-16T20:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edmondhistory.org\/?page_id=6705"},"modified":"2021-10-29T16:45:06","modified_gmt":"2021-10-29T21:45:06","slug":"why-the-edmond-armory-matters","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.edmondhistory.org\/why-the-edmond-armory-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the Edmond Armory Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Amy Stephens<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We\u2019ve never seen a ghost in the Edmond History Museum & Museum–but we haven\u2019t ruled it out.  The 1936 National Guard armory that houses the museum is ripe for a good ghost story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If These Walls Could Talk<\/u><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the quiet moments when I\u2019m by myself at the armory, I\u2019m deeply aware of how much history has taken place in these stone walls. Sometimes I imagine the sounds of military drills, a general barking orders, or shots resounding from the basement firing range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I write this, I\u2019m sitting in my office, where the commanding officer worked. He undoubtedly made tough, life-altering decisions regarding troops; a level of gravity that my job does not entail. I affect people\u2019s love and understanding of history, but many of the National Guard men who walked these halls before me never returned from war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I walk into the gallery, I think about how many boots have marched across this same floor.\u00a0 I imagine rows and rows of men standing at attention, facing the north stage and receiving orders. In the garage, I think about the number of military vehicles serviced before long journeys. When I\u2019m working in the Collection Office, I don\u2019t think about how the room used to be the locker room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why The Armory Exists<\/u><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The armory was built 83 years ago when America was feeling insecure. The Works Progress Administration was President Roosevelt\u2019s answer to keeping laborers working during the Great Depression. The military designed several armory floorplans\u2014and set men to building them all over the country, with 52 in Oklahoma. At least four still-existing armories are nearly identical to Edmond\u2019s armory: Chandler, Sulphur, Haskell, Duncan. Except for some decorative variances to the fa\u00e7ade. Edmond\u2019s armory has some special touches, such as the three circular stone medallions that flank each door post. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Old Places Matter<\/u><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like others around the world, my heart broke as the Notre Dame spire toppled in flames on April 15, 2019. Even if I hadn\u2019t seen Notre Dame in person once, I would have felt its loss. As author of Why Old Places Matter<\/em>, Thompson Mayes, wrote, \u201cSadly, people often aren\u2019t aware of how much they care about the old places around them until they are threatened or lost\u2026these old places inspire us and connect us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe that the Edmond armory is one of these places that matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on the number of retirees who still come to the Edmond History Museum and share their memories of military service in the armory\u2014I know that this place is in the memory banks of many of our citizens. The role of the armory has changed in the community, so now these red sandstone walls hold new meanings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n