Cranston Street Armory

The yellow-brick, copper-crenellated Cranston Street Armory, one of the most monumental structures in the city, was designed by William R. Walker & Son and completed in 1907. A fortress of social order in a roiling sea of labor unrest in the early 20th century, military fanfare was common. Civilian demand for the 40,000-square-foot drill shed, however, was immediate. The bastion of military power became host for surprising and delightful aspects of city life for close to 100 years. Only partially occupied now, this remarkable historic building struggles to find its purpose, longing to be the “Castle for the People” once again.