Long overdue is a mention about one of Lansing’s most stalwart locations: the Marshall Street Armory.
Lansing’s original military unit was created in 1876, calling themselves the ‘Governor’s Guards’ in 1878. A second unit in 1905 was named the Battery A First Field Artillery, but neither had a regular armory for themselves. They had to find acceptable structures to rent or find someone who found THEM acceptable to rent to.
After the Lansing unit was renamed, a building was finally built specifically for them in 1922…it was a riding hall, but they still needed an armory. In 1923 the legislature officially okayed funds for an armory. The armory that we now know and love was built and completed in 1924 at 330 Marshall Street.
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In the 1940s during the second World War the unit obviously served its purpose, but in the 1920s and 1930s and after WWII was finished, the unit was used for all different types of social and community events. Parties, receptions, dances, reunions, blood drives…and even boxing matches… were held at the armory…