Ohio National Guard Armory

Ohio National Guard Armory, located at 1021 S. Main St. in Bellefontaine, was opened in 1950

National Guard members at the armory in Bellefontaine ca 1957

Lt. John R. Beck, Lt. George W. Davidson, Lt. Boyd Manning, seated Cap. John McLaughlin

Home Show at the Bellefontaine O.N.G. Armory in the 1950s

Home Show at the Bellefontaine O.N.G. Armory in the 1950s

The Hadleys photography studio booth at a Home Show in the Armory

John Deere Tractor Day sponsored by Shick Implements at the Bellefontaine Armory

Hartley & Nicholl booth at a Home Show in the Bellefontaine Armory

Lew Cost owner of Lew's Supermarket in Bellefontaine at a Home Show in the Bellefontaine Armory

The April 1959 Home Show at the Bellefontaine Armory featured a queen contest.

The popular singing group "The Angels" performed at the armory in November 1963

Merchants Industries had a booth at one of the trade shows at the Bellefontaine Armory

Westinghouse had a booth at one of the trade shows at the Bellefontaine Armory

Ad for the Hi point Youth Crusade in April 1963 at the Bellefontaine Armory

Ohio National Guard inspection at the Bellefontaine Armory

Ohio National Guard inspection at the Bellefontaine Armory

Vanguard Emergency Radio Association held a CB jamboree at the Bellefontaine Armory in April 1980

Ad for the Bellefontaine Jaycee's Home Show at the Bellefontaine Armory in April 1985

Interior of the Ohio National Guard Armory located at 1021 S. Main St. in Bellefontaine

Ohio National Guard Armory built in 1950 has served as a community center for more than 75 yrs.

The Ohio National Guard Armory, located at 1021 S. Main St. in Bellefontaine, was opened in 1950. The origins of an armory in Bellefontaine date back to 1896 when Company F of the 2^nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who served in the Spanish American War, established an armory on W. Chillicothe Ave. This initial facility was a large brick home, purchased by the Logan County Commissioners. It served as the armory until 1901, when the building was sold and the armory relocated. In 1906, the F.N. Johnson wholesale grocery business acquired the former armory property, demolished the home, and constructed their new office and warehouse.

In 1929, the newly organized 134^th Collecting Co., 112^th Medical Regiment, of the 37^th Infantry Division of the Ohio National Guard, elected Dr. Hobart L. Mikesell of West Liberty as commander. The unit included fifty-one Logan County men. For the next 20-plus years, the armory operated out of various rented spaces throughout the city.

Planning for a new armory on S. Main St. for the 112^th Medical Regiment began in 1935. However, an agreement among the County Commissioners, Fair Board, and City was never fully approved. In 1939, Representative Paul L. McCormick (R Logan County) introduced a bill in the House that included an appropriation of $50,000 for the construction of an Ohio National Guard armory in Bellefontaine. Despite this legislative effort, the project was postponed and ultimately shelved with the onset of World War II.

Renewed momentum came in 1947 when State Senator David A. Liggitt (R Belle Center) introduced a bill appropriating $165,000 for a new armory in Bellefontaine. The bill passed unanimously, and Knowlton Construction Co. of Bellefontaine secured the contract with the lowest bid to build the two-story structure on land donated by both the County and City. The Logan County Commissioners gave the newly formed O.N.G. Company H of the 148^th Infantry complimentary access to Memorial Hall until the construction of the new armory was completed.

Recruitment for the new O.N.G. unit began in June 1947. Initial recruits included Bellefontaine residents Ernest E. DeForest, Charles E. McMillen, Charles C. Gildow, Edward J. Humphrey, and James A. Carmean, along with Richard W. Storer of East Liberty. In July, the unit began its annual two-week training period at Camp Perry on Lake Erie under Company Commander C.H. Hertenstein. By that time, more than fifty Logan County men had enlisted.

In March 1950, the Armory was formally dedicated to Company H, 148^th Infantry, and the 2^nd Battalion Medical Detachment of the Ohio National Guard’s 37^th Division. The dedication ceremony was preceded by a dinner at the American Legion, hosted by the Exchange, Lions, and Kiwanis service clubs. After dinner, an open house was held for guardsmen and their families. Senator Liggitt served as the guest speaker, sharing that his vision for a new armory in Bellefontaine began after his service in the Spanish-American War. Upon his election to the Senate in 1938, he requested placement on the Military Affairs committee with the specific goal of securing an armory for Bellefontaine. He also commended former Representative Paul L. McCormick, who was the House majority leader when the armory bill was passed.

Beyond its military function, the Armory also served as a community gathering place. Beginning in the 1950s, it hosted a Home Show in conjunction with the Logan County Fair, drawing as many as 7,000 attendees during fair week in 1955. That same year, the Ohio Defense Corps Association organized an annual Art Show featuring student and adult artwork from Logan, Union, Hardin, Auglaize, Champaign and Clark counties. Shick Implements held their annual “John Deere Tractor Days” at the armory during the 1950s and 1960s, offering free programs to farm families in the area. The Armory served as a command post and refuge during the Blizzard of 1978. Guardsmen and volunteers delivered food and supplies by snowmobile and provided meals and shelter at the Armory for those affected by the storm.

The Armory closed in 2001 due to the reduction of National Guard forces. In 2004, O.N.G. Battery C of the I-174^th Air Defense Artillery Battalion, formerly based in Lima, occupied the armory. Four years later, the O.N.G. made the decision to decommission the armory and return ownership of the building and property to the city and county. According to the Auditor’s website, the County Commissioners transferred their share of the property to the City of Bellefontaine in 2017.

For more than seventy-five years, the Armory served not only as the home of the Ohio National Guard but also as a venue. It hosted a wide range of events, including trade, home and antique shows, high school proms and dances, basketball games, wrestling shows, CB jamborees, youth crusades, and as a polling location on Election Day.