At Ease: The Social Side of The Hudson Armory

The Hudson Area Library History Room, as part of its Local History Speaker Series, and in honor of our year at The Armory, is pleased to present a talk on the social aspect of The Hudson Armory by Paul Barrett. Mr. Barrett, a researcher and local historian, is a sales agent for Hunt Real Estate and owner of The Country Squire B&B here in Hudson. The State Armory in Hudson provided space for local militia to gather, train and store arms and ammunition. “Preparedness,” as it was called, was a serious function of the armory. The Hudson Armory was also used as a community center providing a place for social functions, public meetings, sporting events and fundraisers. Mr. Barrett will discuss how The Hudson Armory served as the backdrop for a wide variety of venues including beauty contests, big band performances, basketball tournaments, business expositions, exotic car shows and was even the center of a controversial brush with The Cold War. This presentation is free and will be in the library's community room, which is wheelchair accessible. A question and answer period will follow, accompanied by light refreshments.