Prestonsburg Armory

A National Guard unit was established in Prestonsburg in 1974. It began as Detachment 1 of Company B/ 149th Infantry. This unit was stationed in Prestonsburg from 1974-1986. In 1986, the detachment became a full company and was re-designated Company B of the 206th Engineers Battalion. In 1995, Company B moved to Carlisle, and Detachment 1 of Company C /206th Engineers battalion and Detachment 1 of Company D /206th Engineers battalion moved to Prestonsburg. Company C is stationed in Jackson, while Company D is stationed in Hazard.

The unit has never been involved in active duty overseas, but some volunteers went to Desert Storm with the 2123rd Transportation Company based in Bowling Green. Some members of the National Guard were members of the regular Army before joining, and they had served in Vietnam.

The Prestonsburg units have been called up for state active duty several times - in response to floods, forest fires in the Fall of 1994 and the Spring of 1995, and a snowstorm in the Fall of 1993. In March, 1996, the unit was activated for seventeen days in Pike County for flood relief. In March and May of 1997, several unit members went to Bullitt County to help out with the damage caused by the tornadoes. In 1995, the unit was called up for several active duty missions, including some for which the entire unit was activated.

A DES office is stationed in the armory, and the drill hall has been rented for parties. The drill hall has also been rented to other organizations such as the Girl Scouts, and for high school ROTC programs. Fourteen high schools are within the armory's recruiting area, including Floyd, Martin, Pike, and Johnson. Eight of the high-schools have ROTC programs that use the armory.

Before the current armory was completed, weapons were stored at the FOE building. The unit did not have any military vehicles before the current armory was built.

The current, one-story tan brick building has a two-story drill hall and was constructed in 1977. The current armory is the first one to be built in Prestonsburg. Prior to the armory, the FOE building at 600 South Lake St., across from the cemetery, was used as the armory for the National Guard unit, beginning in 1974.

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.