-->Above: Dignitaries participate in a ribbon cutting todedicate the new Col. James W. Nesmith Readiness Center in Dallas, Ore., Oct.12. From left: Dallas Mayor Brian Dalton; Lewis Linn McArthur, great-grandsonof the late Col. James W. Nesmith; Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Rees, Adjutant General,Oregon; Congressman Kurt Schrader; Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney; PolkCounty Commissioner Mike Ainsworth; and Larry Deibert, Civilian Aide to theSecretary of the Army. The NesmithReadiness Center is home to the Oregon Army National Guard's 162 EngineerCompany. (Photo by Staff Sgt. April Davis, Oregon Military Department)-->
The Oregon National Guard dedicated the new Col. James W.Nesmith Readiness Center during a ribbon cutting ceremony, Oct. 12, in Dallas,Ore.
The Nesmith Readiness Center is home to the Oregon ArmyNational Guard's 162 Engineer Company.
The readiness center is named forCol. James W. Nesmith, who served in the Rogue and Yakima Wars, and representedOregon as a United States Senator. Nesmith also served on the Committee of Military Affairs, where hesupported measures which provided for road and railroad construction and riverimprovements throughout Oregon. Nesmith also opposed the payment of bounties to enlist Soldiers as wellas a provision that released men from serving upon payment of a $300commutation fee.
Known as "the father of Polk County," he pushedfor legislation in 1847 to create a separate county out of what was then a verylarge Yamhill County. In 1849,Nesmith purchased O'Neals Mills west of Dallas, and changed its name toNesmith's Mills. This became the first post office site in Polk County andJames Nesmith acted as postmaster from 1850 to 1852. He was elected treasurerof Polk County in 1852 and, in 1853, President Franklin Pierce appointed himU.S. Marshall.
The Design-Build team of Lease Crutcher Lewis, LLC andTHA Architecture were contracted in September of 2010 to design and construct a41,263,000 square-foot facility that will house the 162 Engineer Company with122 Soldiers. The new readinesscenter, completed in September 2012, replaces the old armory built in 1911 at18,206 square-feet which had suffered severe damage to the roof and supportingmembers and degraded masonry.
Significant features of the building include a fullcommercial grade kitchen, modern weight room, a 1,225 square-foot small-armstraining simulation room, a 5,800 square-foot assembly area, 2,200 square-feetof dividable classroom space, and 2,848 square-feet of maintenance bays tosupport the units 75 engineer vehicles.
This facility will serve as a community resource withflexible rental space to accommodate events such as weddings, gatherings andconcerts. According to designers,the building was designed for simple operation, low-maintenance and ease ofmanagement.
The overall design helps the facility blend into the surroundingcountryside. The green design meets the Leadership in Energy and EnvironmentalDesign (LEED) and is currently being considered for a Gold Certification fromthe U.S. Green Building Council.
For another look at the readiness center, see the story from the Polk County Itemizer-Observer, here.
Posted by Master Sgt. Nick Choy,Oregon Military Department Social Media Manager
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