Armory website

[indymaynard]

At this point, the website for the armory has enough detail to get the point across. I may add some more when I return from deployment, but there is little else that I can think of on my own. Please view the website to discover what I learned about this unique part of history!

 

Heslar Naval Armory

 

Jacob

[mark.d...@gmail.com]

Mr. Maynard:
I am doing some work for the National Guard on Heslar and am hopeful that you can answer a question that I've so far been unable to answer. I have come across a flier for the "Eighteenth Fleet Division, Fourth Battalion, Indiana Naval Force, Indianapolis, Indiana." It is undated, but based on an exterior photo showing some vehicles, it is from the late '30s or early '40s. The flier has several photos, three of which depict a large gun turret presumably in the drill hall.
During a site visit, we thought that we had located where the turret was located, based in large part on areas we found on the first floor where the ceiling structure was increased, presumably to carry additional loading on the drill hall. However, this would have placed the turret relatively far from an exterior wall in the drill hall, whereas the photos appear to show the turret adjacent to an exterior (glazed block) wall.
I was hoping that you might have some idea as to where this gun turret was. I would be happy to provide the flier, if that would help.

Regards,
Mark Stoner
Historic Preservation Specialist
RATIO Architects, Inc.

[indymaynard]

Mr. Stoner,

I certainly would love a copy of the flier. My collection of pictures and such from the armory could always use one more item. Plus, I'm really interested in this stuff anyway.

I have made a very professional looking diagram of the floorplan with a sketch of the gun. That was complete sarcasm, of course. I have merely drawn in some orange lines that are not even close to what the gun looked like, but should give you the right idea of the location of the gun. Also included is a newspaper clipping. The top right picture includes the gun as it was originally installed. The location is on the eastern side of the drill deck (hall). When I left, this wall was a series of wooden slats that probably covered some bricks that were thrown in during the remodel in the late '70's, when they removed the gun.

Please let me know if you have any more questions. I am probably not the authority on the armory anymore, but I spent three years learning its history.

Jacob Maynard