Downtown in Blacksburg in Montgomery County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Armory

1936

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, June 26, 2016

1. The Armory Marker

Inscription. Built as a federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, the Armory is located on the former Blacksburg Public School Campus, where the local elementary and high schools originally stood. This building served as a National Guard armory and then as an auditorium for the second Blacksburg High School which was built in 1916 and currently still stands behind the Armory.

The Armory was built with high ceilings, allowing excellent natural light, and includes a prominent l,700-square-foot mezzanine. Until the 1960s, the building was used as a community center, a gymnasium, an arena for sporting events, and a place for public meetings and high school dances. Photo from "Blacksburg Understanding a Virginia Town, Town Architecture" Donna Dunway, 1986.

(caption) The Armory Building ca. 1986

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1936.

Location. 37° 13.763′ N, 80° 24.94′ W. Marker is in Blacksburg, Virginia, in Montgomery County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of Draper Road NW and Jackson Street NW, on the right when traveling

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south on Draper Road NW. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 203 Draper Rd NW, Blacksburg VA 24061, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Virginia,

in the Blue Ridge Highlands,

and in the New River Gorge.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: William Black (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Thomas-Conner House (about 500 feet away); William Frank Henderson (about 500 feet away); The Cellar Building (about 600 feet away); The Early Years / Campus Over Time (about 600 feet away); Alexander Black House (about 800 feet away); Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, June 26, 2016

2. The Armory Marker

(approx. 0.2 miles away); People and Place / Land Grant College (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Blacksburg.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 3, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 26, 2016, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 737 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 26, 2016, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.