Milk Street Armory: History of the Portland Regency Hotel & Spa

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If you are planning a trip to Portland Maine, and you like to stay in hotels with a rich history, keep reading this Blog. This hotel is in the Old Port area.

Maine’s National Guard Armory opened in Portland Maine in 1895, constructed in Romanesque Revival-style architecture. The building was considered among the best equipped armories in New England. It closed in 1941. The Maine National Guard vacated the building under orders from the US government. A lone caretaker resided on the premises for several months, until city officials decided to convert the armory into a temporary housing facility for new military recruits that had begun to flock into Portland. With America’s entry into World War II, the city itself had undergone a significant transformation into a massive defense installation operated by the U.S. Navy.

The Navy subsequently jumped at the opportunity to use the former armory as a barracks for its service members. Soon enough, hundreds of sailors were billeted inside the State of Maine Armory. Amazingly, some 4,000 men had even stayed at the building within just a two-month period. When the war finally ended in 1945, the U.S. Navy returned the building back over to Maine’s state government. The former State of Maine Armory building then served a variety of purposes over the next few years. In 1962 the City of Portland assumed control of the building. In the 1980’s a group of hoteliers acquired the building with the hope of renovating it into a luxurious boutique hotel. The State of Maine Armory finally debuted as the “Portland Regency & Spa” in 1987.

Booking Portland Regency Hotel & Spa

Looking to book Portland Regency Hotel & Spa?  You can find a great price for the hotel here.

You can also find out how to save money on other aspects of your Portland trip with our Portland Budget Travel Guide.

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