Scranton Armory
Why it's listed
Built in 1900 by the 13th Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard, the Scranton Armory is a four-story brick and stone building on a sloping corner lot in Scranton. Its Romanesque design gives it the look of a medieval castle, with a central stone Roman arch entrance flanked by towers and crenellated parapets with machicolation-like openings. The building has a T-shaped plan, with a drill hall under an arched monitor roof behind the administration section. The state armory board bought it in 1906 for $90,000. It is counted among 37 Pennsylvania armories with a T plan and is one of the largest in the state. Its rooms included a drill hall, classrooms, offices, locker rooms and storage. The building also hosted community events, including boxing matches and flea markets. Its interior retains pressed leather wainscoting, molded plaster cornice scenes and heavy dark painted woodwork. Its listing rests on its military role and its architecture, with the record describing its integrity as very good.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the armory is significant under criteria A and C at the statewide level as a member of the State Armory Building type in the Pennsylvania National Guard Armories multiple property nomination. It was built by the 13th Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1900 and is described as one of 37 armories in Pennsylvania with a T plan and one of the largest in the state. It also served community events such as boxing matches and flea markets.
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 89002081, listed December 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 900 Adams Ave., Scranton |
|---|---|
| County | Lackawanna County |
| Listed | December 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89002081 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Holden, Lansing C. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.41525, -75.65235 (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 89002081.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7438737
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.