Blairsville Armory
Why it's listed
Built in 1909 in Blairsville, Pennsylvania, the armory is a two-story building of random coursed, rough-faced stone over a steel frame, arranged in a T-shaped plan. Its castle-like front has a central arched entrance with solid oak doors, a five-sided two-story bay window, and a parapet supported on stone corbels. The building was designed by the W.G. Wilkins Company of Pittsburgh, probably under the direction of Joseph F. Kuntz, and was built for Company D, 5th Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is regarded as one of at least 37 T-plan armories in Pennsylvania and reflects the state armory building program that followed the creation of the State Armory Board in 1905. The main drill hall, classrooms, locker room and offices remain in use. Alterations made in 1970, including an enclosed drill hall balcony and added rooms, are described as unobtrusive, and the floor plan and exterior are nearly intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the armory is significant for its military architecture and for its association with the Pennsylvania National Guard armory building program. It is described as one of at least 37 T-plan armories in Pennsylvania and one of at least 18 designed by Joseph F. Kuntz and the W.G. Wilkins Company. The form states it has very good integrity, with the floor plan and exterior remaining nearly intact.
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 89002069, listed December 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 119 N. Walnut St., Blairsville |
|---|---|
| County | Indiana County |
| Listed | December 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89002069 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Wilkins, W.G. and Company (architect/builder); Hurst, Frank H.; Brogan, Edward |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form notes 1970 alterations, including enclosed drill hall balcony, added rooms, metal fire escapes and concrete block entrance sheds, and states the building remained in continuous military use. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 40.43206, -79.26487 (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 89002069.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4924241
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.