The Illinois National Guard Armory in Dixon was dedicated in 1939 along with the non-extant Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge (formerly located immediately south of this site on the Rock River). The building was designed in the Art Deco style and was constructed with concrete, steel, and brick by the Workers Progress Administration (WPA). The funds for the building were provided by the Federal and State governments, and the land was donated by the Dixon Park District. The construction of the building was a cause for celebration among the citizens of Dixon. A dedication speech by F. Lyndon Smith of the State Department of Public Works noted: "Your civic celebrations to-day are the product of the efforts of many groups and agencies working together for the common good. As long as we continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder and continue to exercise our broad privileges as American citizens, we shall never become cogs in an imperialistic machine." The armories of the National Guard provide secure storage for military armaments and offer facilities for training and administrative work.