About the Armory

Originally built in 1930 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Armory features a stunning array of brickwork, terrazzo floors, and decorative iron. Soldiers from the National Guard that later became Company "A" of the 192nd Tank Battalion during World War II, a group also known as the "Janesville 99", trained at the Armory prior to World War II. The facility served as a mustering center for these soldiers who were deployed to the Philippines in 1941 and ultimately forced into the infamous Bataan Death March.

In 2005, after several years of being vacant, the building’s exterior has been preserved to retain its historical significance, while the interior has been renovated to provide event spaces, private dining options and meeting spaces.

From 2006 to 2011 the Armory produced 23 separate professional musicals in the 230 seat Drill Hall Theater. Starting in 2012 the focus of the Drill Hall was to hold more events/meetings and develop a Friday Night Comedy.

With a dramatic increase in our guests’ desire to hold more events at the Armory, in 2015 the Armory become an event only facility. Best Events, a Janesville catering and event production company, now executes all functions at the Armory. To help accommodate this change in direction, lunch and dinner service in the Bunker Lounge, Patio and Friday Night Comedy will no longer be offered.