Luce Hall

Luce Hall is a university building on Naval Station Newport designed in Flemish Revival style with distinctive corner pavilions and a central block. The structure contains officers' quarters in the four corner sections and a large central area housing classrooms, a library, and administrative offices.

Construction was completed in 1892 with Congressional funding of over eighty-two thousand dollars. It served as the Naval War College's main administrative center until 1974, when leadership functions relocated elsewhere on the campus.

The building anchored the War College community for generations, serving as the symbolic and functional core where naval leadership gathered and studied. Its design reflects how the Navy valued officer education and institutional permanence.

The building is located on Luce Avenue within Naval Station Newport and forms part of the Naval War College campus. Access may be restricted since this is an active military installation, so advance planning is advisable for tours or visits.

The architects George C. Mason & Son drew inspiration from Flemish guild halls and town halls in Antwerp to create a design expressing institutional authority in an unconventional way. This European reference was unusual for a late 19th-century American naval training facility.

Location: Newport

Inception: 1890

Architects: George C. Mason & Son

Part of: Naval War College

GPS coordinates: 41.50667,-71.32889

Latest update: December 14, 2025 15:01