| Deming Armory | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Deming Armory in 2009 | |
| Former names | State Armory |
| Alternative names | Deming Luna Mimbres Museum |
| General information | |
| Status | Used as a museum |
| Type | Government armory |
| Architectural style | Castellated style[1] |
| Address | 301 South Silver |
| Town or city | Deming, New Mexico |
| Country | United States |
| Current tenants | Deming Luna Mimbres Museum |
| Construction started | 1915 |
| Completed | 1916 |
| Client | United States Department of the Army |
| Owner | Luna County Historical Society, Inc. (current) |
| Technical details | |
| Other dimensions | 50 feet (15 m) across x 132 feet (40 m) deep |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Henry C. Trost |
| Architecture firm | Trost & Trost |
| Main contractor | W. W. Barracks |
N.M. State Register of Cultural Properties | |
| Official name | Deming Armory |
| Designated | 20 January 1978 |
| Reference no. | 584[2] |
The Deming Armory (formerly known as the State Armory, now also known as the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum) is a historic armory in the United States, located at 301 South Silver Avenue in Deming, Luna County, New Mexico. The building was built for the United States Department of the Army in 1915–16, and is currently being used as the premises for the local museum in Deming.[3] The armory was added to the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1978 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[2]
History[]
The building, designed by architect Henry C. Trost, was originally constructed as a National Guard armory. The building was the first armory to be built after New Mexico became a state in 1912.[4] It was constructed to train soldiers to guard the border with Mexico during the ongoing Mexican Revolution.[4]
The armory served the New Mexico National Guard for 60 years. The building housed a chapter of the USO during World War II, in support of the men training at Deming Army Airfield. During the years that the building served as a military facility, it was also used as a community center for hosting dances, basketball games and other local events.[1]
Two events in 1976 contributed towards the launch of a campaign to acquire the Deming Armory as new premises for the town's museum. First, the National Guard vacated the building and moved to a new facility on the south side of Deming. Second, a local businessman, Hubert Ruebush, offered to donate his mother's old electric washing machine, the first such washer in Deming, to the museum. When Ruebush learned that the museum could not accommodate the washer in its cramped facilities, he donated $6000 to acquire the armory on the condition that his donation be matched through local fundraising. Ruebush's condition was quickly satisfied, and a delegation from Deming subsequently negotiated a selling price of $11,500 for the building with the State Armory Board in Santa Fe.[1]
Architecture[]
The Deming Armory is an imposing red-brick building, two stories in height and resting on a raised basement. It comprises three bays along the front elevation, with a depth of nine bays, and pilasters divide the side elevations. The facade is characterized by decorative brickwork, concrete detailing, and a large central arch leading to double-leaf doors.[5] The walls of the building are 13 inches (330 mm) thick.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Super, David (2000). Still Serving: Reusing America's Historic National Guard Armories. National Trust for Historic Preservation, The National Guard Bureau. pp. 25–26. http://www.denix.osd.mil/cr/upload/STILL_SERVING_HIGH-RES_0.PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "New Mexico’s Rich Cultural Heritage (March 2012)". New Mexico Historic Preservation Division. http://www.nmhistoricpreservation.org/assets/files/registers/2012%20Report_%20Section%201_%20Arranged%20by%20Name.pdf. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Museum History". Deming Luna Mimbres Museum. Luna County Historical Society. http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/museum-history. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Deming Armory". Henry C. Trost Historical Organization. http://www.henrytrost.org/buildings/deming-armory/. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
- ↑ "Downtown Deming Historic District". National Register of Historic Places Registration. National Park Service. 2012. p. 16. http://www.nmhistoricpreservation.org/assets/files/register-nominations/Downtown%20Deming%20Historic%20District_NRHP%20nomination.pdf. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
External links[]
The original article can be found at Deming Armory and the edit history here.