Fort Homer W. Hesterly (Tampa, Florida)
Tampa · Florida
History & Significance
The armory sits on land originally owned by George Nelson Benjamin, West Tampa's second mayor, which served in June 1898 as an encampment for Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders before they sailed to Cuba during the Spanish-American War. During World War I, the property became Benjamin Air Field; afterward, the National Guard maintained a base there.
The Works Progress Administration brought funds and manpower to construct permanent structures, expanding the Guard base and armory. The armory was dedicated on December 8, 1941, the day after the Pearl Harbor attack.
The facility housed the 116th Field Artillery Battalion and the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and was briefly used by the U.S. Air Force's Tactical Air Command. Beyond its military role, it became a major Tampa venue for public events, hosting speeches by President John F. Kennedy and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and concerts by Elvis Presley (on four occasions), Pink Floyd, The Doors, REO Speedwagon, and others.
Military operations ceased in 2005. The armory was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 23, 2013. In 2016, following a $30 million renovation, it became the Bryan Glazer Family Jewish Community Center.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Art Deco armory building constructed in the 1930s under the New Deal program
- Former National Guard facility with 60+ years of military service history
- Now home to the Bryan Glazer Family Jewish Community Center serving Tampa's Jewish community
- Historic architecture preserved during 2016 renovation
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Homer_W._Hesterly_Armory
- https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/13000852
- https://theclio.com/entry/26053
- https://tampahistorical.org/items/show/97
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=130109
- https://www.oldtampaphotos.com/fort-homer-w-hesterly-armory
- https://livingnewdeal.org/sites/fort-homer-w-hesterly-armory-tampa-fl/