The records of the Chippewa Falls Armory contain correspondence, reports, and financial records relating to the operation of facility and the Wisconsin National Guard units (Troop A Cavalry and Batteries C and F of the 120th Field Artillery) stationed there during the 1920s. The records were apparently stored in an attic or garage before being given to the Wisconsin National Guard Museum at Camp Douglas in 1989. The vast majority of the records were severely damaged by bird feces, mold, and water. Upon receiving the materials in 2001, archivists at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum evaluated the condition of the papers and acted to conserve them. A very few original records that somehow escaped the damage of feces, mold, and water were kept. A majority of the records were photocopied, after which the originals were discarded. A small number of records were damaged beyond recognition and were discarded without a photocopy.
The records in this collection present a look at the operation of a National Guard armory following World War I and also at the upkeep and activities of the units stationed there, both cavalry and artillery. While the time span is rather short, it is still a unique look at a relatively unexamined aspect of the National Guard experience. Correspondence includes instructions received from the state's Adjutant General, Quartermaster, and Military Architect and Engineer as well as the federal War Department. This correspondence gives an idea of the chain of command that existed in the National Guard and as it related to the armory. The financial records include public vouchers that detail the expenditures made for the operation of the armory. Purchase orders show the supplies needed both for the building, the men, and the cavalry unit's horses. Reports provide information about the members of the National Guard unit and include muster rolls, inspections, and attendance records. Also in the collection are some personal papers of Duncan R. Ackley, a captain at the armory during the 1920s, including some certificates relating to his National Guard service.
