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Lawrence Light Guard Armory

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1900–1902, Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge. 90 High St.
  • Lawrence Light Guard Armory (Keith Morgan)

Although architecturally similar to other armory designs at the turn of the century with bracketed turrets and cornice, this massive structure is architecturally and historically distinctive in many respects. General Samuel C. Lawrence, the first mayor of Medford, privately funded this armory and established the Veterans Association of the Lawrence Light Guard (a local militia named in honor of his father) to administer the building for various patriotic activities. Not until 1916 did the Lawrence Light Guard militia become a unit of the National Guard. Used for a variety of social and civic activities in Medford until 1973, it has since been converted into offices.

The design is remarkable for the strong contrast created by the combination of yellow brick and boldly projecting quarry-faced ashlar granite. The battered ground-story walls below a double stone belt course reinforce the effect of the distinctive materials.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Keith N. Morgan
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Data

What's Nearby

Medford Historical Society and Museum
John B. Angier House
Unitarian Universalist Parsonage and Unitarian Universalist Church
Bigelow Block
Old Medford High School and Joseph K. Manning House

Citation

Keith N. Morgan, "Lawrence Light Guard Armory", [Medford, Massachusetts], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/MA-01-MD9.

Print Source

Cover: Buildings of Massachusetts

Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston, Keith N. Morgan, with Richard M. Candee, Naomi Miller, Roger G. Reed, and contributors. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009, 409-409.

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