OAHT 1501: The Armory and Museum
The National Guard Armory Building originally built in the Spanish Colonial style for the 127th Regiment Infantry Company G, was dedicated on December 15, 1921. The Armory was the first built in the state under cooperative financing by federal, state and local agencies. The five acres which made up the Armory, its drill and athletic fields, were purchased for $2,000. Money was raised locally and “at a single meeting of the Men’s Club in Oconomowoc, half paid by the federal and state governments, half by the City of Oconomowoc through bond issue.”
The Armory served many purposes besides being the home of the National Guard in Oconomowoc. Military balls, weddings, dances, graduations and other city wide social events were held there on the 72’ x 90’ drill floor, a part of which is now occupied by the museum’s theater.
For many years, the Oconomowoc American Legion Band rehearsed on the drill floor. At one time, the Oconomowoc Recreation Department used the main floor as an archery range. There was a rifle and pistol range in the basement that was used for target practice by local residents as well as for police training.
From the time of its dedication until 1985 when the new Armory was built on the west side of Oconomowoc off of Hwy 16, the Armory served its purpose of training national guardsmen. On December 6, 1984, the building which had housed the Armory was listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings.
In 1988, the city of Oconomowoc deeded the building to the Oconomowoc Area Historical Society & Museum as a potential site for a community museum on condition that within five years a museum would be in existence. The challenge was met. The Oconomowoc Area Historical Society & Museum officially opened on June 29, 1991. History and picture courtesy of the book "Oconomowoc Barons to Bootleggers" by Barquist and the Oconomowoc Area Historical Society and Museum.
Permission was granted to hide this cache by: Nancy Lins, Administrator at the Oconomowoc Historical Museum
This is a two stage multi-cache which begins at the Oconomowoc Historical Museum building.
The final is at: N43 06.289 W088 29. ???
??? = The 3 digit address of the building behind the elk +869
