Luce Hall
Encyclopedia
Luce Hall was the first, purpose-built building for the U.S. Naval War College, founded at Newport, Rhode Island
, in 1884.
In a Flemish style inspired by the town hall and guild halls on the Grote Markt in Antwerp, Belgium
, local Newport architect George Champlin Mason & Son designed the building for the Navy with gables facing Narragansett Bay
. It was completed on 22 May 1892 at the cost of $82,875, with the remainder of the $100,000 Congressional appropriation being spent on heating and equipment. The building was originally designed to have four sets of officers' quarters, one in each corner of the building, with the College classrooms, library, and administration located in the center section. This usage remained until 1914, when the entire building was opened for official uses.
The building was the main administrative building for the Naval War College from 1892, when Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan
was President of the Naval War College for his second time, until 1974 during the presidency of Vice Admiral Stansfield Turner
, when the president's office was moved to newly constructed Conolly Hall.
In 1972 the building was added to the National Historic Register as building #72001439.
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, in 1884.
In a Flemish style inspired by the town hall and guild halls on the Grote Markt in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, local Newport architect George Champlin Mason & Son designed the building for the Navy with gables facing Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
. It was completed on 22 May 1892 at the cost of $82,875, with the remainder of the $100,000 Congressional appropriation being spent on heating and equipment. The building was originally designed to have four sets of officers' quarters, one in each corner of the building, with the College classrooms, library, and administration located in the center section. This usage remained until 1914, when the entire building was opened for official uses.
The building was the main administrative building for the Naval War College from 1892, when Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan
Alfred Thayer Mahan
Alfred Thayer Mahan was a United States Navy flag officer, geostrategist, and historian, who has been called "the most important American strategist of the nineteenth century." His concept of "sea power" was based on the idea that countries with greater naval power will have greater worldwide...
was President of the Naval War College for his second time, until 1974 during the presidency of Vice Admiral Stansfield Turner
Stansfield Turner
Stansfield M. Turner is a retired Admiral and former Director of Central Intelligence. He is currently a senior research scholar at the University of Maryland, College Park School of Public Policy....
, when the president's office was moved to newly constructed Conolly Hall.
In 1972 the building was added to the National Historic Register as building #72001439.