Armory History
History of the
Varnum Continentals
In 1913, just six years after their formation, the Varnum Continentals began construction of a medieval-style armory at the corner of Main and Division Streets in East Greenwich, RI. In the mid-1800s, the site had been the location of the Rhode Island Central Bank, the first bank in the town.
When completed about a year later, the armory included a 40′ by 110′ drill hall, meeting rooms, headquarters for “Varnum’s Regiment”, a chartered unit of the Rhode Island Militia, and a home for the organization’s respected collection of weaponry, uniforms, historic artifacts, and militaria. From 1918 to 1996, the State of Rhode Island leased much of the building to house units of the Rhode Island National Guard and (during World War II and the Korean War) the State Guard. The Varnum Armory is one of only a few armories not owned by the State to have housed a National Guard unit.
During World War II, an aircraft spotter’s tower was located on the north tower part of a coastal early warning network operated by the US Army Air Corps and staffed by civilian volunteers.
The Varnum Armory is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A 1984 survey of State Historic Buildings describes the armory as follows: “This brick building has remained in perfect condition; front central entrance is recessed into the façade, double doors, wooden, heavy hardware, all incorporated into an arched paneled recessed entrance; multiple pointed arched windows; 2 small square towers are on the front corners; brick buttresses; low brick real ell.”