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Grove City's Premier Venue for Wedding Receptions, Sporting Events & Private Parties
History
A castle-like brick building born out of tragedy, the historic former National Guard armory in Grove City, Pennsylvania has a long and storied past. On June 15th, 1898, an intense blaze broke out at the previous armory located on Broad Street. By the time the fire was brought under control, the armory, ten homes, and several businesses were destroyed. After years of deliberation, the National Guard decided to rebuild; E.F. Atwell Construction was awarded the contract for their low bid of $18,650.00. Construction began in earnest in 1907, and the new National Guard armory of Grove City was officially dedicated on November 16th, 1908. The day of dedication was one of celebration and parades. Governor Edward Stuart, the 24th governor of Pennsylvania, even made a special appearance to commemorate this special occasion.
The armory was originally built to serve the needs of Company M of the National Guard. The facility included an indoor drill ground, a dining room, a kitchen, meeting rooms, classrooms, locker rooms and even stables for horses in the basement. Although the armory was rebuilt due to military need, the townsfolk took full advantage of this new community pillar. Boxing and wrestling matches were held on the drill ground, and USO dances were organized during the Second World War.
( images courtesy of Grove City Historical Society )
Although no stranger to parties, the armory was first and foremost part of the National Guard. When the United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917, Company M of Grove City Pennsylvania was called into action. By August of that year, Company M became a part of the 112th regiment, which formed a critical part of the 28th Infantry Division – famously known as the Iron Division. It did not take Company M long to find action. In addition to participating in a number of skirmishes and battles in France, the company’s most notable battle became known as the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest and deadliest battle that the United States has ever participated in to this day. For 47 days, 1.2 million soldiers fought in the battle which stretched along the entire Western Front. Company M was in the thick of the fight and sustained heavy casualties during the conflict with 23 men killed, 49 wounded, and 6 missing. The company from Grove City that started with 150 men a year prior ended the war with less than half of its fighting force intact.
As WW I, WW II, and the Korean War started and concluded, the armory consistently provided for both the National Guard and the local community. As the years weathered on, however, it was clear that the National Guard of Grove City had outgrown its faithful facility. So, in 1979, the National Guard handed over the keys of the armory to the Grove City Borough in return for 10 acres of land to build a new and improved facility. The “old armory,” as it was now called, didn’t sit empty for long.
For the remainder of the 80s and most of the 90s, the old armory continued to serve as a cornerstone of the Grove City community. Like the National Guard decades before, the YMCA outgrew the armory’s walls and decided to move to a new building. In March of 1999, the old armory saw the YMCA depart for their new building on Main Street Extension.
The old armory was now in danger. Past renovations and other improvements could not disguise the fact that the building was showing its century-old age. Any business that decided to move into the building would have to contend with large repair costs. So for the next 3 years, the old armory sat empty.
In the summer of 2001, the Grove City Borough Council made the difficult decision to demolish the building. The people of Grove City recognized how the old armory had served them in the past, and made their voices heard in an effort to save this historic building that was once the keystone of the community. The Council then agreed to offer the building for sale along with stipulations that the new owner must make certain repairs to the property within 18 months of the purchase. The aging building was purchased by Grove City Borough Council member Richard Slagle a few months later, who undertook repairing the roof and windows. For the next 15 years Mr. Slagle lived at the property and operated his custom electronics repair business for the coal mining industry.
In 2016 Mr. Slagle sold the property to local real estate investor, Nathan Depew. In 2023, after extensive restoration, the building was re-christened The Keystone Events Center and opened to serve the local community as a place to host wedding receptions, private parties, and sporting events. The building can comfortably accommodate up to 300 guests for a sit down dinner, and the gym is equipped for basketball, volleyball and pickleball.
The Keystone Events Center has had many uses and has gone by many names, but it has always been a vital part of the Grove City community since its construction in 1908. We are pleased that this historic building has been completely restored – it will continue to serve the community as a place for people to come together for many years to come.
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