Ridgway Armory
Why it's listed
Built in 1904 as a county club, the two and a half story brick armory in Ridgway, Elk County, was used by the local Pennsylvania National Guard unit until the State Armory Board bought it in 1932 for exclusive Guard use. Its steel frame carries a brick veneer over a stone water table, with a central Roman arch sheltering the double entrance. The drill hall occupies the second floor above the administration area, and the building is one of seven in Pennsylvania with this arrangement. Its drill hall is spanned by a modified Fink truss roof with a curved bottom chord, a system representing late nineteenth and early twentieth century structural development. The interior retains high plaster ceilings and heavy painted woodwork typical of the Romanesque style. Alterations are limited to a few basement walls, a metal fire escape at the rear, and glass block replacing basement windows. The nomination regards the building's integrity as excellent.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant under Criteria A and C as a member of the State Armory Building property type for the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is one of seven armories in Pennsylvania with the drill hall above the administration section. Its modified Fink truss roof with curved bottom chord is presented as representing late 19th and early 20th century structural developments, giving it engineering significance.
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 89002078, listed December 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 72 N. Broad St., Ridgway |
|---|---|
| County | Elk County |
| Listed | December 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89002078 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1904-1939 |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Within district | Ridgway Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.42342, -78.72981 (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 89002078.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7332883
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.