Jamestown Armory
Why it's listed
Built in 1932 for Co. E, 174th Infantry, the Jamestown Armory at 34 Porter Avenue is a brick and limestone military building in the Tudor Revival style, with touches of the Chateauesque. It combines a two and one-half story administration building, with an octagonal tower and a round conical-roofed tower, and an attached drill shed. A steeply pitched slate roof, stone corbels and a rusticated sally port give it the look of a country estate or castle, said to be modeled on a Canadian castle. State Architect William Haugaard designed it, and it is among the finest of his roughly 12 surviving armories. Inside, the drill shed keeps its hardwood floor, steel trusses and balcony, and the administration building retains terra cotta walls and circular stairs. The building is significant as a representative New York National Guard armory that served as a military facility, social club and civic monument, and it reflects the volunteer militia's role in American military history.
Significance in brief: It is a representative example of an early twentieth century armory built for a local New York Army National Guard unit. It has the three typical traits of the type: a military facility and clubhouse that is also a civic monument, an administration building with attached drill shed, and medieval-inspired design. It is also tied to the history of the National Guard and is among the finest of State Architect William Haugaard's roughly 12 surviving armories.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 94001542, listed January 12, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 34 Porter Ave., Albany |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | January 12, 1995 |
| Reference number | 94001542 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1932 |
| Architect / builder | William Haugaard, State Architect |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival (Early Twentieth Century) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as defense armory, the same as its historic function. The interior and drill shed are described as remarkably intact. |
| Acreage | 3.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.09304, -79.25468 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 94001542.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6146194
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.