National and State Register
Cañon City State Armory
Fremont County
Constructed in 1922, the building is associated with the initiation and maintenance of a National Guard unit in Cañon City, and it is the longest continuously used Armory in the state. With its large open drill area and stage, it became much more than a military training facility.
Dances, graduations, and concerts were held in the building, and the hardwood floor of the drill area served as a roller skating rink. Until a high school was constructed in 1961, the building served as the only gymnasium in town. The Armory was built on a standard plan designed by prominent Denver architect John James Huddart, which was adopted for many of the armories around the state. The building’s Mediterranean-influenced style is rare in Fremont County.