SILENT GROUNDS COLLECTIVE · NONPROFIT EDUCATIONAL ARCHIVE
SGC-96 · Research edition September 24, 2026
A photographic history with cited opening dates, collection history and individually credited images. Historic views, later photographs and illustrations are dated separately. This is a selected collection, not an exhaustive inventory.
The Meriden Armory made a formidable addition to East Main Street in 1908. At 241 East Main Street, its substantial masonry announced a public building with a very different purpose from a shop or private house. The state’s military register records ninety years of service, ending in 1998. [SGC96-S1]
Inside, a military hall could also become a gathering place for the city. The local architectural account records dances and sporting events, including a first professional boxing appearance by Meriden native Max E. Muravnick. Those uses place the building within the social life of Meriden as well as its National Guard history: for many residents, an armory memory could be an evening out rather than a drill. [SGC96-S3]
The historical society includes the building in its downtown walking tour. Its 2017 brochure is useful for locating the armory within the surrounding streets, but its reference to a 1988 sale conflicts with the state register and the architectural account’s 1998 end date. The archive retains the documented opening year and does not use that discrepancy to invent a precise sale date. Linked exterior photographs make it possible to compare the building’s later condition with its imposing public role. [SGC96-S2]
Includes source text where acquired. Source websites require an internet connection. OCR may contain errors; verify names and dates against the scan.
5 catalog entries
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SGC96-S1 · Historical sources · Source dates described in record
Lists 241 East Main Street and a service period of 1908–1998.
Linked source. Photographs and documents at the publisher retain their individual rights.
Credit: Connecticut Military Department: Meriden Armory. Cite SGC SGC-96, SGC96-S1, source title, page and URL; accessed 2026-09-24.SGC96-S2 · Historical sources · Source dates described in record
Identifies the 1908 armory and its architectural presence on East Main Street.
Linked source. Photographs and documents at the publisher retain their individual rights.
Credit: Meriden Historical Society: 2017 walking tour. Cite SGC SGC-96, SGC96-S2, source title, page and URL; accessed 2026-09-24.SGC96-S3 · Historical sources · Source dates described in record
Exterior photograph and account of dances, sporting events and boxing at the armory.
Linked source. Photographs and documents at the publisher retain their individual rights.
Credit: Historic Buildings of Connecticut: Meriden Armory. Cite SGC SGC-96, SGC96-S3, source title, page and URL; accessed 2026-09-24.SGC-PHOTO-LINK-003 · Photograph collections · Dates stated by source
A period postcard shows the castellated facade and men standing on the lawn. The original card was published by the August Schmelzer Co.; open the source to examine the scanned card.
Linked photo collection. Copyright and reuse terms remain with the photographer or publisher. Images have not been copied into this archive.
Credit: The August Schmelzer Co.; digital scan at CardCow. Cite SGC SGC-96, SGC-PHOTO-LINK-003, source title, page and URL; accessed 2026-09-24.SGC-PHOTO-LINK-004 · Photograph collections · Dates stated by source
Compare a second historic postcard published by the Hartford News Company, with a view of the building and the scanned reverse. The exact picture date is not established.
Linked photo collection. Copyright and reuse terms remain with the photographer or publisher. Images have not been copied into this archive.
Credit: The Hartford News Company; digital scan at CardCow. Cite SGC SGC-96, SGC-PHOTO-LINK-004, source title, page and URL; accessed 2026-09-24.