COLLECTION 097 · SGC-97
West Haven · Connecticut
An Art Deco armory on Main Street, later adapted to a different kind of daily life.
The architectural account gives construction in 1932–1933; the state register begins service in 1933. No exact dedication day is asserted.
EXPLORE THE ORIGINAL GALLERIES
Follow these links to photographs held by their creators and collections.
See Daniel Sterner’s photograph of the former armory on Campbell Avenue and its architectural history. This source uses the building date 1932; the state service register begins in 1933.
Daniel Sterner / Historic Buildings of ConnecticutView photographs at sourceCOLLECTION HISTORY
West Haven’s armory rose at 511 Main Street in 1932–1933. The architectural account credits Fletcher & Thompson with a design that departed from the castle-like vocabulary of earlier Connecticut armories. Its Art Deco character belonged to a newer architectural moment, even though the building still served the familiar purpose of housing a military unit. [SGC97-S2]
The state’s register places its military service between 1933 and 1980. That opening year differs from the first year of construction, a distinction that matters when a building’s age is repeated from postcards, inventories or local recollections. The dates at the top of this article identify which milestone each year describes. [SGC97-S1]
The building later became apartments. That change brought a new pattern of occupation to a structure originally intended for assembly and drill. The linked exterior photograph records the surviving building and allows visitors to follow the details of its street frontage. Its later use is part of the armory’s story, while the history of individual units and residents remains a separate subject for further records. [SGC97-S2]
The architectural account gives construction in 1932–1933; the state register begins service in 1933. No exact dedication day is asserted.
THE SEARCHABLE CATALOG
Search includes catalog notes and the OCR text included with this edition. OCR may misread names or dates; use the original scan to verify a match.
SGC97-S1 · Historical sources · Source dates described in record
West Haven Armory
Lists the armory at 511 Main Street with military service from 1933 to 1980.
Read item & source notesSGC97-S2 · Historical sources · Source dates described in record
West Haven Armory
Photograph and architectural account identifying Fletcher & Thompson, 1932–1933 construction and conversion to apartments.
Read item & source notesSGC-PHOTO-LINK-005 · Photograph collections · Dates stated by source
West Haven Armory
See Daniel Sterner’s photograph of the former armory on Campbell Avenue and its architectural history. This source uses the building date 1932; the state service register begins in 1933.
Read item & source notesExtract the ZIP and open START_HERE.html. It includes the catalog, selected images, acquired source text, credits and a searchable SQLite database. New photo additions are hosted in the SGC media library and require an internet connection; original bundled images remain available offline.
