FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Nutter Field House is slated to receive a facelift for its 81st birthday. The venue, which hosts an average of three events per week, will close for renovations beginning Jan. 5, and is expected to reopen by April 15, just in time for Engineer Regimental Week, according to Facility Coordinator Tod Davidson.
The focus of the three-month project is the refurbishment and preservation of the field house’s unique roof truss system, Davidson said.
“The beams will be stripped of the existing white paint and encapsulated with aluminum sheathing of the same color to better preserve them,” he said.
Built in 1942, the field house — which can accommodate 2,000 people — was named for 2nd Lt. Daniel Nutter, a 25th Armored Engineer Battalion Soldier killed in action in 1944. Its original purpose was to serve as a recreational facility for Soldiers. Since its doors opened eight decades ago, the space has been used for a variety of functions, from sporting events to military balls, to its biggest events in modern times — regimental week activities.
The beams were painted in 2015, as a short-term preservation effort, but this renovation will provide a long-term solution, in addition to improving the aesthetics, Davidson said.
“It’s going to improve the quality of the events that take place here,” he said.
The roof truss system, while unique on the installation today, was a fairly common design in its day, according to Stephanie Nutt, an archaeologist with the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division.
“It was used a lot for construction in the early 20th century, but you rarely see it in modern times,” she said. “We have different ways of supporting vaulted ceilings now, so it’s not something that is frequently used.”
Uniqueness aside, the facility’s long history on the installation makes preservation efforts a priority, Nutt said.
“It’s an important part of Fort Leonard Wood’s World War II-era history and heritage,” she said. “It’s a very prominent structure, and near and dear to a lot of folk’s hearts on the installation. There are a lot of people who have seen it for years and have a special connection to it.”
The sense of nostalgia people experience in the building is something Davidson said he has witnessed himself.
“There are people who have come here for generations,” he said. “Fathers and grandfathers who went to basic training here come here for events and have told (their graduating Soldier) about Nutter Field House. It’s very memorable.”
The history of the building isn’t the only reason for preserving it, though. As a fully functioning and useful facility, it’s important to preserve and structurally stabilize it, Nutt said.
“Preservation allows us to continue to be able to use it,” she added.
Social Sharing