Learn More About Our Rich History
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Rich with local history, Portland Regency Hotel & Spa is located in a 19th Century, neo-classical armory building – a historic landmark in Portland, Maine’s Old Port district, just two blocks from the waterfront.
The “State of Maine Armory”, as it was called, was built for Maine's National Guard in 1895 at a cost of $20,000. At the time, it was considered one of the finest and best-equipped armories in New England. The Armory was vacated in 1941, when Maine’s National Guard troops came under the control of the federal government. For a brief time, a caretaker was the lone occupant of the building. City officials ultimately decided to open the armory to house soldiers, sailors, and marines who were temporarily stranded in Portland. During one two-month period, over 4,000 men took advantage of the facility for overnight stays. In 1942, the United States Navy took control of the armory and used it as a recreation center for the duration of World War II. At the close of the war, the building once again served multiple purposes: as a home to the National Guard's citizen soldiers, a civic auditorium, and as the city's public bathhouse. In 1962, the Armory was taken over by the city of Portland for conversion into a waterfront parking lot. Before this transformation could take place, the armory was sold to State Paper Company for use as a warehouse. |