Riding Halls & Other Horse Related Buildings

Philip S · Tue Jan 28, 2003 8:42 am

Iowa State Universty has a very large armory which originally housed the ROTC horse drawn field artillery:
http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/exhibit ... rmory.html
http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/593 ... ssacks.htm

Philip S · Tue Jan 28, 2003 2:48 pm

This ad offering saddle horses for hire appeared in a program for the Fifteenth Annual Games, April 27-8, 1925 of Troop G, 101st Cav (Syracuse, NY). They had a 355 acre farm near Manlius with a clubhouse, bugalows, and facilities for their horses.

"This year the Troop Farm will open May 15th after undergoing extensive repairs. A majority of the horses will be stabled there in order that those interested in riding may avail themselves of the splendid opportunity of riding country roads thus eliminating a trip on the city streets through heavy traffic. Luncheon will be served Sundays to accommodate the riders." (from the program introduction)

Philip S · Tue Jan 28, 2003 3:38 pm

Former 101 Cav armory at Utica, NY:
http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/camera/c-utica1.gif
New York has a number of historic old cavalry and field artillery armories.
http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/map/newburghhistory.htm
http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/map/cities.html

Pat Holscher · Tue Jan 28, 2003 9:40 pm

By odd coincidence, this morning's Casper Star Tribune, in their "Inside" edition ran a big photo of the old 115th Armory with a short story, noting that the War Department had instructed the Wyoming National Guard, if it wished to retain funding, to find a site for such an armory. On Jan 27, 1923 Maj. Clyde V. Simpson came to Casper to discuss building the armory. The building included stables, offices, caretaker's quarters, locker rooms, a bath, and a club and recreation room. It costs $20,000. The Tribune reported, in 1923; "It has been the plan of Adjunct (sic) General Esmay for some time to offer this unit to Casper because of the wealth of veteran ex-service men living here and because it will be the elite unit of not only Wyoming but also of Idaho and Utah as these states furnish the balance of the cavalry to complete the brigade."

Pat

Philip S · Tue Jan 28, 2003 10:01 pm

Here in the East the Casper Armory would probably have become a registered Historic Landmark, or at least converted into something else. It certainly was distinctive.

An interesting description of the surviving 121 Cav armory in Rochester, NY. Please note the link to the 121 Cav site. It has lots of fascinating pictures.
http://mcgreal-family.tripod.com/cavalry.html

Pat Holscher · Tue Jan 28, 2003 10:06 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Philip S
 Here in the East the Casper Armory would probably have become a registered Historic Landmark, or at least converted into something else. It certainly was distinctive.

An interesting description of the surviving 121 Cav armory in Rochester, NY. Please note the link to the 121 Cav site. It has lots of fascinating pictures.
http://mcgreal-family.tripod.com/cavalry.html
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Now it would have been here too. The problem, however, was that the brick quality of the building was very low. It was an impressive structure, but the bricks were decaying. Indeed, a few weeks before it came down a television reporter, in a news report, pulled a brick right out of the building.

It did have some useage after the Wyoming Army National Guard moved on to their new Armory, around 1974 or so. Casper College used it for offices, and used a newer maintenace shop for that purpose. They never seem to have liked it much, however, although it was across the street from their campus.

It's destruction was controversial. The 115th veterans formed their association in an effort to save it. When it did come down, the city arranged to have it done suddenly, lest anyone know beforehand. The veterans remained bitter about it, and their bitterness was increased by the semi-secret nature of the final decision. The memorial was an effort to somewhat placate them.

As a final oddity, the Armory grounds had quite a few lilac bushes. When it came down, lots of people came over to dig them up and replant them. Given as it shortly became evident that a street would go through about 1/3rd of the grounds, the City announced that it was acceptable to take them.

Pat

Philip S · Thu Jan 30, 2003 2:44 pm

The riding hall at Fort Ethan Allen, Vt. The link gives some interesting details about the hall and different proposals for reuse.
http://personalweb.smcvt.edu/thefort/Bu ... llHall.htm

Pat Holscher · Fri Jan 31, 2003 9:23 am

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Philip S
 The riding hall at Fort Ethan Allen, Vt. The link gives some interesting details about the hall and different proposals for reuse.
http://personalweb.smcvt.edu/thefort/Bu ... llHall.htm
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Interesting. In looking at the proposals for new uses, it strikes me that buildings of this type, at least around here, just aren't built anymore. That is, large brick buildings with a huge interior space. The "arena" type building common around here for riding just doesn't compare.

Pat

Pat Holscher · Fri Jan 31, 2003 9:35 am

Some post cards of armories and riding halls, one of which has already been posted here. Check out that Ohio State Armory:

http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-3/struct ... index.html

Pat

stablesgt · Fri Jan 31, 2003 3:15 pm

FYI, the Ohio State Armory and Gym was mostly latter, never served as a riding hall. It burned in the very early 1950s.

Philip S · Fri Jan 31, 2003 4:26 pm

Thanks for the info about the Ohio State Armory.
I just talked to my neighbor about the Iowa State armory in Ames(http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/exhibit ... rmory.html).
He remembered horse shows there. A horse drawn ROTC Field artillery unit would enter the ring and do a figure eight. Another unit would then enter after each circuit until there were (he thought) a total of four doing figure eights crossing in the center. He says it was quite a sight.

Philip S · Fri Jan 31, 2003 7:46 pm

This still existing armory in Brooklyn looks more like a railroad terminal:
http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/map/brklyn-b.html
Some memories of the 101 Cav at the armory:
http://home.att.net/~eldad.too/DadsMem006.htm

monahan · Fri Jan 31, 2003 9:39 pm

It irritates me after a while. Has anyone thought about using a riding hall as a riding hall? Especially for the ones that still exist on Army posts. Heaven forbid any generals took up riding instead of fuddy-duddy golf.

I attended West Point and many of my classes were in Thayer Hall which was once the largest riding hall (so I was told) outside of Berlin. I've already put several academic departments on notice that if I ever come back to West Point as Superintendant they will be looking for new locations.[:)]

Riding was part of the curriculum of West Point from the early days until the last horses were sold off in the late forties. Senior cadets made a traditional cavalry charge across the Plain (the Parade Ground) prior to graduation. The year after the horses were sold, the cadets drew their sabres and ran across for their charge.

Unfortunately, today, West Point, has been sucked into trying to compete with civilian colleges in the usual sports: basketball, football, hockey, etc. The traditional martial sports, including fencing, rifle and pistol, as well as riding, are barely supported...

Timothy P. Monahan
Major, Medical Corps USA

Pat Holscher · Fri Jan 31, 2003 10:50 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by monahan
 It irritates me after a while. Has anyone thought about using a riding hall as a riding hall? Especially for the ones that still exist on Army posts. Heaven forbid any generals took up riding instead of fuddy-duddy golf.

I attended West Point and many of my classes were in Thayer Hall which was once the largest riding hall (so I was told) outside of Berlin. I've already put several academic departments on notice that if I ever come back to West Point as Superintendant they will be looking for new locations.[:)]

Riding was part of the curriculum of West Point from the early days until the last horses were sold off in the late forties. Senior cadets made a traditional cavalry charge across the Plain (the Parade Ground) prior to graduation. The year after the horses were sold, the cadets drew their sabres and ran across for their charge.

Unfortunately, today, West Point, has been sucked into trying to compete with civilian colleges in the usual sports: basketball, football, hockey, etc. The traditional martial sports, including fencing, rifle and pistol, as well as riding, are barely supported...

Timothy P. Monahan
Major, Medical Corps USA
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I had a bit of the same thought, that is, wouldn't it have been nice if the old 115th Armory could have been kept as a civilian riding hall. Not too feasable around here, but it would have been neat.

Of course, a problem for any of these would be that they would actually have to all be converted back to riding halls. When riding ceased, they were shifted over to other uses without a thought. This nearly always meant pouring a concrete floor. So, ironically, they'd actually have to have work done to them in order to make them in to a riding hall.

Pat

Pat Holscher · Fri Jan 31, 2003 10:50 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by stablesgt
 FYI, the Ohio State Armory and Gym was mostly latter, never served as a riding hall. It burned in the very early 1950s.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's a shame, hard to imagine something like that being built now.

Pat

Pat Holscher · Fri Jan 31, 2003 10:54 pm

The old Armory in Douglas, WY, formerly used by Troop K, 3rd Squadron, 115th Cavalry. The back of the armory was used as a riding hall.

This armory continued to be used up at least until the late 1980s, at which time the area which was formerly used for a riding hall was used as a drill hall. This armory continued to have quarters for a full time custodian, and a full time Guardsmen did in fact live there in the quarters. I believe it now serves in some other state function, and is located right next door to the State Fair.

Pat

Philip S · Fri Jan 31, 2003 10:56 pm

One of the unexpected results of Title IX promotion of women's sports has been the increase in college equestrian teams since they have great appeal to women. This is of course a benefit to men since the teams are coed. Maybe in the future some of the University halls can be reconverted to their original purpose. The one at Fort Ethan Allen would be especially suitable. Some of the others are just too gigantic.

Pat Holscher · Fri Jan 31, 2003 10:59 pm

Not a riding hall, but the former state warehouse for the Wyoming Army National Guard. The old troopers describe racks of McClellans being stored in the back. As is pretty evident, a portion of the building was added on. The building was at one time used for an armory after WWII. This building, which served a vital Guard function, strikes me as a bit of an odditiy in that Ft. D. A. Russel (the current F. E. Warren AFB), is only about four miles away, and I had thought up until what I learned what this was that the 115th would have used facilities on Russel. Not so.

This is now a state Civil Defense building, but the Wyoming Militia Historical Society uses the older part, and intends to put in a museum there.

Pat

stablesgt · Sat Feb 01, 2003 9:09 am

Just wondering, did anyone undergo his induction in a former riding hall? I believe I did at what was once known as Ft. Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. Typical circa 1890 brick constructed long rectangle structure with iron roof trusses to provide total unobstructed interior space.

Now Ft. Hayes was a small post, later a Corps HQ in the 20s-40s, and had an infantry company stationed in 1890-1900s presumably to protect major capitalist investments like the rail lines and steel plants against anarchistic union strikes a'la Ft. Sheridan north of Chicago. The Army certainly wasn't into building gymnasiums at that time so the structure was probably a bad weather drill hall but I'd like to at least imagine it also did double duty as a riding hall.

Philip S · Sat Feb 01, 2003 1:11 pm

Did you see the ghost? Apparently little, if any, cavalry connection but still appears to be an interesting place:
http://www.forgottenoh.com/FortHayes/drillhall.html