Seventh Regiment Armory

History and architecture

The Seventh Regiment Armory is a rare wedding of two conflicting tendencies of Nineteenth Century architecture. A "fortified'* castle on Park Avenue bristling with battlements immediately announces the military character of the building. In this facade, we see the architectural expressionism of the eighteen seventies attempting to adapt an historical revival form to contemporary needs. On the other hand, the drill room, which extends back to Lexington Avenue, displays the century's determination to use new materials and techniques, expressive of function, as efficiently and as straightforwardly as possible. To the designers credit, the functional requirements of this portion of the building shine through a minimal amount of affected medieval veneer, producing a massive armory of rugged architectural character.

History of the Regiment

The Seventh Regiment was formed in 1806 from four volunteer militia companies. It possesses an outstanding list of battle honors including service in the War of 1812, the Civil War and two World Wars, and it rendered service to the City in controlling riots and subduing civilian disorders. The Seventh has also been one of the most socially distinguished military organizations in the City. On the night of November 1, 1954, the Regiment entertained the British Queen Mother at a ball in her honor at the Armory. Often referred to as the "silk stocking regiment", the interior quarters reflect the taste of this most affluent National Guard organization. Louis G. Tiffany who designed the Veterans Room brought together an extraordinary team of artists and architects, including Stanford White to decorate the trophy room and other regimental quarters.

Prior to 1860, the several companies of the Seventh Regiment occupied separate quarters around New York City, From 1853 to 1857 the Seventh used the Arsenal in Central Park at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue. However, on September 5,1860, the Regiment occupied the newly created Armory above the Tompkins Market, which had been rebuilt for that purpose.

This cast-iron front building was located on Third Avenue between Sixth and Seventh Streets and was headquarters for the Seventh from 1860 to 1880, October 1877 marked the laying of the cornerstone of the Seventh Regiment building on Park Avenue, and on April 26, 1880 the Regiment, with great ceremony, marched into its own Armory at this new location.

Throughout its existence, the Seventh Regiment Armory has been used by other organizations, and it has also been used for purposes other than military functions. The National Indoor Tennis Championships were held on the drill floor of the Armory from 1900-1963, with the exception of the World War II years. The Knickerbocker Greys, a junior cadet corps for school boys from the New York metropolitan area, was founded in 1881; ever since 1902, it has been drilling in the Seventh Regiment Armory, Closely patterned after the adult organization in character and in its uniforms, the Knickerbocker Greys has been a source of membership for the Seventh Regiment.