Chestertown Armory

The Sergeant First Class John H. Newnam Armory, also known as the Chestertown Armory, is a historic National Guard armory built in 1931 and located in Chestertown, Kent County, Maryland, United States. From 1933 until 2005 it housed various formations from the Maryland Army National Guard. It also was the home of sporting and community events during this time. After the 115th Infantry Regiment was merged into the 175th Infantry Regiment in 2005, the armory was declared to be surplus by the state of Maryland. The Chestertown Armory was transferred to Washington College in 2013. Since then, it has stood vacant. The college is investigating the possibility of turning it into a bed and breakfast.

Chestertown Armory
Chestertown Armory, December 2009
Chestertown Armory is located in Maryland
Chestertown Armory
Chestertown Armory is located in the United States
Chestertown Armory
LocationQuaker Neck Rd., Chestertown, Maryland
Coordinates39°12′10″N 76°04′06″W
Built1931
Architectural styleMedieval
MPSMaryland National Guard Armories TR
NRHP reference No.85002668 [1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 25, 1985

Architecture

It is a two-story brick structure with a full basement that emulates a medieval fortification. The front facade features an entryway flanked by simple two-story towers, which are topped by small square stone panels.[2]

Planning and construction

In 1930, the Maryland Military Department purchased a 3.5 acres (1 ha) lot along the Chester River to build a new armory.[3] To fund the construction, the Maryland General Assembly appropriated $50,000 of bond money.[4] After a year, due to trouble securing plans, Maryland awarded contract to erect the building Carl Schmidt for $47,000 (equivalent to $904,420 in 2022).[5]

National Guard use

From 1932 until 2005, The Chestertown Armory was home to various formations from the Maryland Army National Guard. In addition to its military uses, the armory became a hub for Chestertown and Washington College. From 1934 until the 1950s, the Washington College Men's Basketball team played their home games there.[6][7] It also hosted concerts and community events.

The armory was accepted in February 1932, and it became the home of the Chestertown Medical Detachment of the First Maryland Infantry Regiment.[8] They remained stationed at the armory until 1941 when the First Maryland Infantry Regiment and Fifth Maryland Infantry Regiment were merged to create the 115th Infantry Regiment.[9] In 1947, Company G of the 115th Infantry Regiment was raised at armory.[10] It would remain the unit stationed at the armory until 1968 when the 29th Infantry Division was deactivated and the armory was transferred to the 175th Infantry Regiment.[11]

When the 29th Infantry Division was resurrected in 1984, the armory received a $500,000 (equivalent to $1,408,390 in 2022) renovation to become the headquarters of the 2nd Battalion of the 115th Infantry Regiment. The next year, The Chestertown Armory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places[1] On August 11, 1999, the building was renamed in honor of John H. Newnam, a Chestertown resident who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day.[12] Due to consolidation, the armory was closed and declared surplus in 2005 when the 115th Infantry Regiment was merged into the 175th Infantry Regiment.[13][14]

Washington College ownership
Armory site in 2020

After the departure of the Maryland National Guard from the armory, there was much discussion over what should be done with the building. In 2007, two proposals emerged: one by Washington College and the other by the local homeless shelter.[15] By the end of the year, a consortium of local businesses and the college put forth a proposal to pay the costs of Kent County buying the site.[16]

In 2013, the Chestertown Armory was transferred to Washington College.[17] The structure continues to sit vacant. In 2019, What's Up? Magazine reported that the college was investigating the possibility of turning it into a bed and breakfast.[18]

Units

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "Maryland Historical Trust". National Register of Historic Places: Chestertown Armory. Maryland Historical Trust. October 5, 2008. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  3. "Maryland Briefs". Cumberland Evening Times. July 30, 1930. p. 11. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Chestertown Folk In Ovation To Candidates". News Journal. Wilmington, DE. October 22, 1930. p. 4. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Contract Has Been Let For Chestertown Armory". Baltimore Sun. August 17, 1931. p. 12. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "New Court Site for Washington". Evening Sun. Baltimore, MD. November 21, 1934. p. 22. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Athey, Edward L.; Holt, Joseph L. (2009). "Hoops History". In Hendricks, Justine C.; Lang, John; Landskroner, Marcia C. (eds.). Athey's Field: Essays, True Stories and Highly Colored Eyewitness Accounts of Athletics At Washington College From the Present to the Way Back Days of the Wissahickons. Chestertown: The Literary House Press of Washington College. p. 75. ISBN 9780937692196. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  8. "State News of the Day as Told by Reporters". Salisbury Times. February 2, 1932. p. 1. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "First Infantry Gets Its Title of 115th Back". News Journal. Wilmington, DE. January 18, 1941. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "US Approves Guard Outfit". News Journal. Wilmington, DE. March 10, 1947. p. 11. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "29th Infantry To Be Revived". Daily Times. Salisbury, MD. AP. June 8, 1984. p. 1. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Newnam armory to be dedicated today". Star-Democrat. Easton, MD. May 16, 1993. p. 7. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. Heck, Peter (April 5, 2007). "Md. National Guard troops ordered to deploy". Star-Democrat. Easton, MD. p. 14. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. O'Donnell, Craig (November 12, 2007). "Kent County urged to acquire armory property". Star-Democrat. Easton, MD. Kent News. p. 14. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. Heck, Peter (August 28, 2007). "College, Non-profit Interested in Armory". Star-Democrat. Easton, MD. Kent News. pp. A7. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. O'Donnell, Craig (November 21, 2007). "Kent County Urged to Acquire Armory Property". Star-Democrat. Easton, MD. Kent News. pp. A14. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Passing the Key". Kent County News. Chestertown, MD. May 16, 2013. p. A2. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. Allen, Bob (January 13, 2019). "Chestertown's Riverfront Gets A Makeover". What's Up? Magazine. Annapolis, MD. Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2022.

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