Canonsburg Armory
Why it's listed
Built in 1938 for the 108th Hospital, 103rd Medical Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard, the Canonsburg Armory sits on a sloped lot in the Borough of Canonsburg, Washington County. The one-story Colonial Revival building is faced in brick over a coursed sandstone foundation, with a central arcade shelter over three paneled doors. Its drill hall occupies the first floor, while offices, classrooms, a garage and a locker room are in the basement. Federal Public Works Administration funds paid for construction at a cost of $85,548, and George W. Brugger of Canonsburg designed it. It is one of seven Pennsylvania armories built with the drill hall above the administration section, which gives it its importance within the state armory type. The interior retains its glazed tile walls, parquet drill hall floor and original layout. The building also served the community for dances, sports and other public events.
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 within the multiple property nomination Pennsylvania National Guard Armories. It is described as one of seven armories built in Pennsylvania with the drill hall above the administration section, and it was funded with federal Public Works Administration money. The building is also said to retain excellent integrity.
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 89002070, listed December 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W. College St. and N. Central Ave., Canonsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | December 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89002070 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1938-1939 |
| Architect / builder | George W. Brugger (architect); Branna Construction Corporation (builder) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 40.26060, -80.18778 (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 89002070.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5033410
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.