Wellsboro Armory
Why it's listed
Built circa 1932 in Wellsboro, Tioga County, the armory is a brick Moderne building on an I-shaped plan, with a two-story drill hall set between a two-story administrative section and a two-story rear garage. Its main elevation has a three-arch blind arcade with stone sills, lintels, quoins and keystones, and the drill hall is covered by a bowstring roof of riveted steel trusses. The building was designed by Thomas H. Atherton of Wilkes-Barre and constructed for Company I, 103rd Medical Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is significant for its association with the state's National Guard armory program and for its architecture. The nomination describes it as an exception to the typical I-plan armory because it was built within a town and its rear wing served as a garage instead of a stable. Several windows and doors have been replaced, but the building retains very good integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the armory is significant under criteria A and C as a member of the State Armory Building property type in the Pennsylvania National Guard Armories multiple property nomination. It was built in 1932 for Company I, 103rd Medical Regiment, and is designed by Thomas H. Atherton, who is credited with eight armories in eastern Pennsylvania. It is described as an exception to the usual I-plan armory pattern because it was built in town and its rear wing was a garage rather than a stable.
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 91000521, listed May 9, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 Central Ave., Wellsboro |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | May 9, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000521 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1932-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas H. Atherton (architect) |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Wellsboro Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.74764, -77.30279 (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 91000521.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7981738
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.