Where History and Community Converge

The Armory is one of FDR’s ‘New Deal’ projects, and one of Columbia’s busiest spots. Building photos courtesy of The State Historical Society of Missouri.

Nestled into the heart of downtown Columbia, the Armory’s meticulously maintained historical façade gives little hint to what it houses. Inside the Art Deco building is an essential part of the community: a third place.   

A third place, a term coined by American sociologist Ray Oldenburg, is a place where people can go to socialize and connect with others outside of their home (first place) or workplace (second place). One of the key aspects of third places is there must be little or no financial barrier.  

“I would easily say that the Armory does this for people, like seniors and those other folks who come off the street who don’t have anything,” said Camren Cross, community recreation manager at the Armory. Cross has managed programs at the Armory for more than twenty years.  

With a name like the Armory, this building clearly has a past. It was built in 1938, during the New Deal construction boom, as a joint venture of the city of Columbia and the federal government for use as an armory for the National Guard. In 1993, the Armory was placed on the National Register of Historical Places. It underwent a thorough historical restoration in 2000. In that same year, the Armory was turned over in full to the city and became a community center.   

Since then, the Armory’s staff has provided services for Columbians from all walks of life, focusing on creating space for at-risk youth and low-income residents. Cross tends to concentrate his programming on children.  

“I’m always looking for programs for kids, hoping they can find a passion. I’ve always said if a kid finds their passion earlier in life, that makes their parents’ job a whole lot easier,” Cross explained. “They’ll be involved with whatever that is. I don’t care if it’s piano, guitar, track and field. … I wish kids would find their passions earlier in life, because it’ll keep them busy doing good.”  

The Armory’s location offers a distinct advantage for kids who participate in its summer and after-school programs. Thanks to its proximity to city institutions and the walkability of downtown, there’s an opportunity to introduce kids to a variety of facets of local government and teach them to be engaged members of the community.   

“We end up taking all these little walking field trips,” Cross explained with pride. “They get to go over to the police station and the fire station. They get to check out the courthouse and City Hall. The newspaper is nearby, too. There’s a lot of neat things that they get to see just because of where we are.”   

Cross’s dedication to creating a better Columbia does not end with kids. The Armory also offers a variety of classes and programs for adults that are either free or low cost. It is hard to imagine free programs these days, but they’re vital to creating such a special space.   

“I want people to get around good people; you never know how that’ll affect them,” Cross said. “That happens a lot with our free tai chi group. We have people come in off the street to get a drink of water or out of the elements, and then they’ll see people doing slow martial arts–type stuff and join in.”   

While the Armory already offers a variety of programs, any city resident can request or create a program.  

“We do special events, we do sports, we do senior classes, youth classes, martial arts, and many other things like that,” Cross went on. “We’re always looking to try something new. If there’s a trend, it seems like it might work in the community.”