Building 19

Building 19 in Winter of 2020.

NPS Photo/Dani Beekman

Tucked away on the Armory grounds, Building 19 was constructed, beginning under Major James W. Ripley, between 1847-1864. With a gabled slate roof, segmental arched openings, and louver blinds, the building is considered one of the best surviving examples of the American Cavalry Caserne Style.

Building 19 had multiple purposes including stabling horses and housing an x-ray lab and cryptography unit for sending and receiving coded messages, but its main purpose was storage of lumber.

 

Thousands of blanks were stored at a time for drying. (Photo taken in 1952)

NPS Photo/Springfield Armory NHS Archives

Making gunstocks was a tedious process that required the wood be air dry for 2-8 years, until it reached the proper moisture level, to ensure that when they were carved or worked on the lathes the wood wouldn’t crack or warp. At the Armory the primary wood used to make gunstock blanks was Black Walnut as it is a hard, dense wood that is resilient and when it is seasoned (dried) it doesn’t shrink much and isn’t prone to splitting. Because of the length of time necessary to season the wood, thousands of blanks needed to be properly stored for drying at a single time. At full capacity Building 19 could hold up to six hundred thousand gunstocks.

Prior to the construction of Building 19, gun stocks, box boards, and lumber were stored in two sheds located on the South edge of the Parade Green and in 1830 the sheds were moved to the East Square (now Federal Square). With the appointment of Major Ripley, the wooden sheds were replaced with a brick permanent structure.

Built on the site of what was previously worker housing consisting of barracks and detached homes, Building 19 stands at an impressive 764 feet, but it wasn’t initially that long. Built in four separate phases, the Long Storehouse I, Long Storehouse II, Stables, and West Addition were added as the need for storage increased. After each addition the name of the building changed to represent the new purpose and design. Names included “Brick Timber Store House,” “New Store House,” and “Gun Stock House.”

 

Building 19 around 1890. A fire station once was located behind the building.

NPS Photo/Springfield Armory NHS Archives

 

In August 1846 Major Ripley requested $2,000 and construction started in September. Funds were expedited due to the start of the Mexican American War (1846-1848), as the Armory experienced increased munition demands. By the end of June 1847 Long Storehouse I was completed. As the Mexican-American War continued, Ripley requested additional funds in May 1847 for the creation of an additional storeroom. The funds were appropriated in August 1848 and Long Storehouse II was nearly complete by August 1849.

Long Storehouse I and II were built in a Greek Revival style with two stories and a garret (loft) which included louver blinds (angled slats), that could be opened to allow in air and light while preventing direct sunlight and rain from entering. Using natural light was a necessary feature due to the amount of flammable material stored here. By 1854 the building was painted rosy beige with a dark brown trim.

 

The stables undergoing renovations in 1937.

NPS Photo/Springfield Armory NHS Archives

In June 1860 $3,500 was appropriated to build a stable as six to seven horses consistently were kept at the Armory. Beginning in late summer or early fall, the stable was completed by October 1861. Stalls on the first floor were above a crypt for muck and above was a second-floor barracks. By 1873 the stable was in poor condition and $1,000 was appropriated to lay a new floor and reorganize the stalls and service rooms.

A year later, in August 1862, the Secretary of State approved a request for additional storage in two days. The West Addition matched the design of previous sections and Italianate ventilator towers on the West Addition and Stable were added. By early winter of 1863 construction was completed bringing Building 19 to its current length.

 

Building 19 in 1944.

NPS Photo/Springfield Armory NHS Archives

As warfare and the manufacturing of arms changed, research labs, workshops, garages, machine shops, engineer branch, and housing for mechanical systems were added. Between 1918-1920 copper roof ventilators were added to the Long Storehouse II and an elevator was added, with 2 additional ones added in 1942. In the 1930’s the building underwent various changes including the removal of the Italianate ventilators, the addition of garage doors, and some of the louver blinds were removed and filled with brick. Between 1954-2015 many of the remaining louver blinds were filled in, but the building today retains the same essence.

 

Building 19 today as a Student Center

Photo Credit: Springfield Technical Community College

When the Armory closed in 1968, the building remained vacant until Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) took over the building and used it for storage. Between 1981-1983 the Springfield Police stabled their mounted unit in the building. In 2018 the building was renovated into a student center in 2018 the STCC.

Today while the building serves a different purpose, one can still hear the individuals milling about and experience the beauty of a building that was essential to the operation of Springfield Armory.