Existing comment:
The Master Armorer's House:
The second highest ranking official in the United States Armory once entertained guests in this room, the parlor of the Master Armorers house. Construction for this home was approved by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis in 1850, and completed July 5, 1859 -- two days after John Brown secretly arrived in the area. Intended for Camp Hill, near the homes of the other Armory officials, the location was changed to this site so that one of the officers "could at all times be near the shops and stores." However, Master Armorer Benjamin Mills deemed the location unhealthy for his family, so the first occupant of the building was not a Master Armorer, but the Paymaster's Clerk, John Daingerfield. As a result, Daingerfield was taken hostage during John Brown's raid. Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee, commander of the United States Marines dispatched to capture Brown, took lodging in the home.
During the Civil War, the building served as the headquarters for several different Union officers. In 1864 the swelling provided overnight accommodations for General Ulysses S. Grant. After 1865, the town leased it from the federal government for use as a schoolhouse and post office. Reclaimed by the government in 1884, the building was sold at a public auction and remained in private hands for over 70 years. Today, the Master Armorer's House has been restored to its 1859 appearance. |