The National Guard Armory was constructed in 1909 above an underground creek, to ensure besieged National Guardsmen would have drinking water. Its existence is testimony to the concerns of society’s leaders in the early part of this century to maintain armored facilities to keep social peace at a time of widespread class war. The Guard vacated the building in 1976.

The Mission Armory represents a unique combination of revivalist architecture and early 20th century machine age construction. While many of the more utilitarian spaces have simple, durable finishes, the reception stair lobbies, public/recreation rooms, and administration offices display high levels of design and finish materials, including marble, milled oak and walnut paneling.
​

Production Space

The Production Space, once used as a drill court, is one of the most significant interior spaces in the Mission Armory. It is reputed to be the largest unsupported enclosed volume in San Francisco, featuring a dramatic exposed roof structure composed of curved steel open-web trusses. A reinforced-concrete balcony accessible from the third floor of the Administration Building runs around the perimeter of the Production Space, sixteen feet above the floor.

Concourse

The Concourse originally housed:

• A one hundred by sixty-foot gymnasium
• A Natatorium (swimming pool)
• Lockers & Dressing Rooms
• An Industrial Kitchen 
• A Banquet Room
• Original quarters of the Naval Militia

The Concourse, which extends beneath the Administration Building and the Production Space, also contained:

• An Arsenal
• Company Store-room 
• Boiler Room
• Indoor Rifle Range
• Ammunition Hoist 
• Storerooms for Field Wagons 
• An elevator to haul the wagons to the vehicular entrances on Julian Avenue
  

Sports Venue and Film Destination

From 1920s through the 1940s, the Mission Armory served as San Francisco’s primary sports venue, eventually earning the nickname the “Madison Square Garden of the West” bringing in thousands of spectators every week. For almost three decades, at least two prizefights were held in the Production Space each week, usually on Tuesday and Friday nights. Subsequently, in 1976 Noted Director George Lucas used the Production Space to film scenes for the award-winning film, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.