Shored up
A lot has happened since I last bothered even opening this website. With work five days a week and explorations on the other two, combined with trying to launch a YouTube channel, I've found myself neglecting this little corner of the internet for almost a month now. With July coming to a close, I figured I should at least get one or two posts out before the end of the month.
The Bay View Armory has always been one of Toledo's hidden gems, tucked away behind the rolling fairways of the Bay View Golf Course and the towering masts of the Toledo Yacht Club. Most people driving past on Summit Street are none the wiser to the existence of this prewar masterpiece.
Due to the site's close and I mean CLOSE proximity to the Toledo Yacht Club, our entry was not exactly smooth sailing. Despite arriving on scene during the workweek, the golf course was crowded with retirees, and the club was busy with staff preparing for the weekend rush.
Much to me and my partner's annoyance, we discovered that two workers from the yacht club were standing no more than 20 feet from where we needed to squeeze through an opening in the fence. At this point, it would have been suspicious for us to randomly make a 180 and walk away in the other direction, so we decided to commit and slip through the fence as quickly and quietly as possible.
The dedication reads as following:
DEDICATED TO
THE NAVAL RESERVE
OF OHIO
"ESSENTIAL TO THE NATION'S WAR STRENGTH
OF OHIO
"ESSENTIAL TO THE NATION'S WAR STRENGTH
IS A WELL TRAINED AND EFFICENT RESERVE"
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
ERECTED BY
CIVIL WORKS ADMINISTRATION
FEDERAL EMERGENCY RELIEF ADMINISTRATION
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
1934-1936
SPONSORED BY
CAPITAN A F.NICKLETT. U.S.N.D
AREA COMMANDER
By some miracle, the two employees hadn't noticed our antics or become suspicious of where we had wandered off to. We decided to remain cautious and avoid any more wide-open spaces as we made our approach to the building.
Construction on the building began in 1934. The armory was one of many WPA projects in Toledo. I always figured the WPA needed no introduction, but the few peers I spoke with about it didn’t know what the WPA was. So, alas, I shall provide a quick summary of the WPA, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Organized in 1935, the Works Progress Administration was a successor to the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. Both were designed to provide jobs in unskilled labor for those affected by the 1929 Depression.
The door said it was a classroom, feels more like dorms to me.
The WPA specialized in public works projects, like the aforementioned armory, as well as roads, bridges, parks, airports, etc. In some cases, the WPA provided on-site housing for the staff as well as meals. WPA workers also constructed and operated Japanese internment camps throughout WWII.
The Works Progress Administration was eventually dissolved in 1943 following the postwar economic boom. Some notable structures constructed by the WPA include Griffith Observatory, LaGuardia Airport, and the Hoover Dam.
Before my visit to the Armory, the only other WPA buildings I had visited in the Toledo area were several of the buildings at the Toledo Zoo and the Toledo Library. I believe the Armory in Detroit, as well as the old public library, were also WPA projects.
Some rooms were in noticeably worse condition.
Construction of the armory was completed in 1936, and it began use under the Ohio Naval Militia shortly after. The Ohio Naval Militia was organized in 1896 by the Ohio General Assembly. During the early years of operation, there were only two battalions: one in Toledo and one in Cleveland.
A recreation room perhaps?
The Ohio Naval Militia participated in the Spanish–American War as part of the 10th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After the war, the militia purchased its first ship, an aging revenue cutter known as the "Andrew Johnson," which was retrofitted to meet operational demands at the time. The militia was also assigned the U.S. Navy's first iron-hulled warship, the USS Michigan, in 1897. The ONM would later be deployed throughout World War I.
The shooting range which reeked of mold.
The brand-new armory was used by the militia until 1947, when the Ohio Naval Militia was integrated into the newly formed Naval Reserve. Throughout WWII, the facility was used to house and train new recruits for the Navy.
Entrance to the weapons lockup.
In addition to its use as a training center throughout WWII, the facility also housed many public events, including dances, concerts, dinners, and various other gatherings. It's always interesting to see pre-WWII—or really pre-Cold War—military facilities where you could just casually walk in on any old Tuesday without a guard shack in sight.
What could be upstairs??
Lockups for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical weapons?!
After the end of WWII, the facility became less of an "armory" and even more of a venue for public events. The large drill hall on the second floor was an attractive feature for many school dances, graduations, and other public gatherings. In addition the building itself is beautifully situated on 7 acres of greenery and is on its own peninsula overlooking the muddy Maumee. It doesn’t get much better than that for the average Ohioan!
The massive drill hall was definitely one of the more impressive areas of the armory.
The building is said to be designed "like the deck of a ship", Personally I didn't see it.
The windows themselves have begun to fall out of their frames to the floor, surprisingly not the handiwork of scrappers for once.
In 1977, the Ohio Naval Militia was reactivated; however, it never reunited with the Bay View Naval Armory. Today, the Ohio Naval Militia operates out of the Camp Perry Joint Training Center in Port Clinton, Ohio. I actually drive past this place every time I'm on my way to Port Clinton for flying lessons.
The area above the main entrance was circular like below, however it had been retrofitted with these random empty offices with no ceiling.
Despite never finding any concrete evidence online, I believe that at some point the Marines operated the armory, either with or without the Naval Reserve. We found numerous signs relating to the Marines scattered throughout the armory.
The Naval Reserve ceased operations at the armory in 1988. It’s unclear if the facility was used for public events after this, but in 1997, it was purchased by the City of Toledo for $40,000. After the acquisition, plans were radio silent until 2004, when the building was purchased by none other than Roger Homrich.
The Mess Hall.
Being an abandoned building and having Roger Homrich take an interest in you is like having a serial killer flirt with you. Before his unfortunate passing in 2021, Roger Homrich was the owner of Homrich Demolition Company. Homrich was contracted to demolish many substantial Detroit structures in the past, such as Cass Tech, the Statler Hotel, the J.L. Hudson Department Store, and the Packard Plant. I also believe they were contracted to demolish Boysville.
A sauna?
hmmm
Luckily, demolition wasn’t on Homrich’s mind when he purchased the facility. He originally intended to store boats inside the building. Shortly after the purchase, renovations were completed on the roof. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, renovation ceased on the site, and it has since been left to decay.
Entrance to the kitchen.
The kitchen, note the huge fume hood.
The building itself has an interesting history related to the world of demolition, as many of the materials used in its construction were salvaged from demolition projects of that time.
Unfortunately today the building is in worse condition then it ever has been, the roof over the drill hall has completely given out and the foundation has begun to sink causing large cracks to form in some walls.
A garage on the first floor.
Storage for spare parts.
Storage for personal items.
While I have been exploring more than ever lately, I haven't had much time for posting. Once summer winds down and I go back to college, maybe the posting will pick up more. Only time will tell, I guess. Until then:
Mutagen Out!
Sources: