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The History of the CT National Guard in Putnam
Throughout the post-civil War era the Putnam, Danielson and Killingly area supported at least one infantry company that was a part of the Third Regiment New London. The original Danielson Armory was built around 1896 and burned in 1931. The builder James Paine was an officer of Company F and built it on Commerce Street behind the train depot.
The 1931-1932 replacement incorporated the parts of the old building that survived the fire. In 1930, the Armory Board declared several facilities to be obsolete, including Danielson. The legislature was not keen on spending money to update, repair or build armories given the Great Depression, but the fire damage leaving the Special Troops Headquarters unit of the 43rd Division, a medical detachment, Service Battery and the 192nd Field Artillery Regiment without a building increased the urgency for funding for a replacement.
The Danielson Armory was ultimately declared excess and turned over to the town in 1995.
The original Putnam Armory was built in 1957 and vacated in 2007 when it was declared excess and eventually turned over to the town. Originally the Armory was home to Company D 169th Infantry until 1959. It then became home to the engineers having first belonged to the 249th Engineer Company Construction then Company C 101st Engineer BN until 1975 when the unit was reorganized into Company B242 Engineer BN. In 1988 the 250th Engineer Company moved in and remained in Putnam until 2007 when the Armory was closed.
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