Leeds National Guard Armory
The Leeds National Guard Armory was an Alabama National Guard armory at 7418 Parkway Drive (U.S. Highway 78), at the entrance to Leeds City Park in Leeds.
The armory building was constructed in 1953. It originally served as headquarters of the 167th Infantry Regiment, and the 1151st Engineering Detachment. When the 1151st was relocated to Anniston in 1975 the 67th Combat Support Mechanized Unit took their place. It also hosted the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Valor Division.
In addition to serving the National Guard, the armory functioned as a community building, hosting church functions, fund-raisers, picnics, roller-skating parties and dances. It was also a polling place for elections, and as a space for Leeds High School students to build floats for their homecoming parades.
Until 2009 the armory served as headquarters for the . In 2008 that unit was merged into the 31st Cavalry Regiment, headquartered at the Fort Lauris D. Graves Readiness Center in Talladega. The Sea Cadets relocated to the Trussville Athletic Center. The former armory building became the property of the City of Leeds.
In 2010 the city commissioned an environmental assessment of the building and determined that it was not feasible to rehabilitate due to asbestos. The structure was demolished that year and the site used for a new Leeds Fire Station No. 1.
References
- Blankenship, Robert (March 4, 2010) "What will happen with Pathway Baptist, Leeds Armory?" St. Clair News-Aegis
- Payne, Karmen (July 19, 2010) "Leeds Armory just a memory." St. Clair News-Aegis