Cynthiana Armory

A military organization of some sort has been in Cynthiana since the Civil War. The Harrison Rifles were organized there in 1860. In the late 1800s, another group, the Lafferty Guards were organized there. Company F of the 2nd Battalion/ 2nd Infantry, was organized in Cynthiana from 1903-1906. Other infantry units were located and reorganized in Cynthiana from 1907 until 1927, when the last unit was disbanded. The National Guard was non-existent in Cynthiana until 1974, when the current National Guard was organized.

The current National Guard unit began in Cynthiana in March 1974, as Detachment 1/ Company B of the 201st Engineers. Two years later the detachment became Company C of the 206th Engineers, with Headquarters located in Ashland. In 1976, Company C of the 201st Engineers from Jackson was transferred to Cynthiana, while Company C of the 206th was moved to Jackson. Company C of the 201st Engineers has been in Cynthiana since 1976.

Since its inception, Company C has been involved in several state missions. Some of the most notable of these include the Truckers strike in the 1970s, during which they helped maintain order and prevent any violent acts. The company was present during the 1977 Pineville floods, and it has been involved in several environmental clean-ups in Bourbon County. Although the unit has never been called up for Federal service, five men from the unit saw action in Desert Storm, and went overseas with the 438th Military Police Company from Buechel. The Spring flood of 1997 caused more monetary damage in Cynthiana than in Falmouth, Kentucky, and the National Guard was active in several rescue missions and in general clean-up in both cities.

The current building was completed in November 1975. Before that time, the old Carneal Building, a state-leased warehouse/factory building, housed the National Guard, which started in Cynthiana for the second time in 1974. Before that time, state militia groups were organized in the area, dating as far back as the Civil War. However, no other armories besides the current one have ever been built in Cynthiana.

Photos and information courtesy Kentucky Heritage Council -- Report No. 25" Inventory and Evaluation of National Guard Armories in the State of Kentucky" - 1999 by Kate Carothers.