Armories are more than mere buildings. They represent our social and military past — from dances and wedding receptions to circuses, auto shows, polio clinics, and voting, these buildings have served their communities through time. Seven of the armories are occupied presently by state-chartered militia units, while one is still occupied by the Rhode Island National Guard (Armory of Mounted Commands). The others are in many cases resuming the social part of their lives as buildings for the use of their communities (i.e., Westerly and Bristol Naval Reserve). One is home to an art museum (Warwick Kentish Artillery), while another (Rodman Hall) is used by the state university for classrooms and for its Community Planning Department. The largest (Providence, sometimes known as “Cranston Street”) is still looking for its rightful place in the state, but has the support of a number of groups, including the West Broad Street Neighborhood Association, to help it find its focus.
Rhode Island’s armories are varied in their architecture — from wood-framed neo-classical style buildings to granite and brick medieval castle-like buildings, these armories are among some of the very best of Rhode Island’s architecture (and a state well known throughout the world for its fine architecture).
The 18 historic armories of Rhode Island are located in 11 cities/towns in the state. They are (from north to south):
The Woonsocket Armory, 350 South Main Street, Woonsocket
The Gloucester Light Infantry Armory, Dorr Drive, Chepachet (Glocester)
The Pawtucket Armory, 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket
The Armory of Mounted Commands, 1051 North Main Street, Providence
The Providence Armory, 225 Dexter Street, Providence
The Benefit Street Arsenal, 176 Benefit Street, Providence
The Armory of the Pawtuxet Rangers, 59 Remington Street, Warwick
The Warwick Kentish Artillery Armory, 3259 Post Road, Warwick
The Armory of the Warren Federal Blues, 42 Baker Street, Warren
The Warren Artillery Armory, 11 Jefferson Street, Warren
The Bristol Naval Reserve Armory, Thames Street, Bristol
The Bristol Train of Artillery Armory, 135 State Street, Bristol
The Varnum Memorial Armory, 5 Main Street, East Greenwich
The Armory of the Kentish Guards, 1774 Armory Street, East Greenwich
The Newport Armory, 365 Thames Street, Newport
The Armory of the Artillery Company of Newport, 23 Clark Street, Newport
Rodman Hall Armory-Gymnasium, University of Rhode Island, Kingston (South Kingstown)
The Westerly Armory, Railroad Avenue & Dixon Street, Westerly
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| The Benefit Street Arsenal Providence 1839-40 | The Bristol Naval Reserve Armory Bristol 1896 | The Bristol Train of Artillery Armory Bristol 1842 |
| The Kentish Guards Armory East Greenwich 1843 | The Gloucester Light Infantry Armory Chepachet (Glocester) c. 1865 | The Newport Armory Newport 1894 |
| Armory of Mounted Commands Providence 1913-14 & 1923-25 | Newport Artillery Armory Newport 1835-36 | Pawtucket Armory Pawtucket 1894-95 |
| Pawtuxet Rangers Armory Warwick 1843 | Providence Armory Providence 1903-07 | Rodman Hall Armory-Gymnasium URI, Kingston 1928 |
| Varnum Memorial Armory East Greenwich 1913 | Warren Federal Blues Armory Warren c. 1865 | Warren Artillery Armory Warren 1842 |
| Warwick Kentish Armory Artillery Armory Warwick 1912 | The Westerly Armory Westerly 1901-02 | The Woonsocket Armory Woonsocket 1912 |
