[11] The original Houston Light Guard Armory was located on Texas St. and Fannin Ave.

It designed by architect George Dickey and built in 1893 using cash prizes won by the Houston Light Guard in National drill competitions.

The privately owned property was denied a tax exemption causing the Houston Light Guard Association a financial burden for over the years before being transferred to the Texas National Guard in 1938, making it the first state owned armory in Texas.

[12][13] Hopes were high when the Houston Hispanic Forum attempted to repurpose the property into a community center in early 2000.

Then in 2008 the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, founded in 2000 and originally located on 1834 Southmore Blvd, began raising funds to purchase the Caroline St. Armory,[12] and In November 2012 the armory became home to the nations largest repository of African-American Military History.