Penn Varney (1859–1949) was an American

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

in practice in

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest municipality in Massachusetts and the largest city in Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line at Suffolk Downs, Lynn is part of Greater Boston's urban inner core. Settled by E ...

, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Life and career

Penn Varney was born November 15, 1859, in

Wolfeboro, New Hampshire Wolfeboro is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,416 at the 2020 census. A resort area situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro includes the village of Wolfeboro Falls. History The town was granted ...

, to Augustus J. Varney, a sawmill owner, and Mercy (Hussey) Varney. He was educated in the local schools, and in 1882 moved to Lynn where he was first employed by architect Holman K. Wheeler as a

drafter A drafter (also draughtsman / draughtswoman in British and Commonwealth English, draftsman / draftswoman or drafting technician in American and Canadian English) is an engineering technician who makes detailed technical drawings or plans for m ...

. In 1888 he left Wheeler to open his own office. During the first few years he was in partnership with Alfred W. Call in the firm of Call & Varney. Varney practiced architecture in Lynn for at least forty years."Penn Varney" in
Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts
' 4, ed. Benjamin F. Arrington (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922): 357.

Personal life

In 1893 Varney was married to Emma L. Hussey, and they had one son. In later life they lived in

Rowley, Massachusetts Rowley is a New England town, town in Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,161 at the 2020 census. Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Rowley (CDP), Massachusetts, Row ...

. Varney died there April 27, 1949.

Legacy

At least five buildings designed by Varney have been listed on the United States

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

, and others contribute to listed historic districts. The Alabama architect

William Leslie Welton William Leslie Welton (1874-1934) was an American architect. Some of his works are listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Works Notable works include: * City National Bank, 2301 University Blvd., Tuscaloosa, AL (Welton, Willia ...

received his initial architectural training in Varney's office.

Architectural works

* Charles F. Piper house, 22-24 N Main St,

(1892) * Danversport School (former), 10 West St,

Danvers, Massachusetts Danvers is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts. The suburb is a fairly short ride from Boston and is also in close proximity to the renowned beaches of Glo ...

(1893–94) * East Lynn Odd Fellows Building, 301 Essex St,

(1895) * Marcy Street School, Marcy St,

Southbridge, Massachusetts Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,740 at the 2020 census. Although Southbridge has a city form of government, it is legally known as the Town of Southbridge. History The area was in ...

(1898, demolished) * St. Joseph R. C. School, 29 Green St,

(1898) * Amesbury Public Library, 149 Main St,

Amesbury, Massachusetts Amesbury is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the left bank of the Merrimack River near its mouth, upstream from Salisbury and across the river from Newburyport and West Newbury. The population was 17,366 at the 2020 ...

(1900) * Schenectady Public Library (former), Union St and Seward Pl,

Schenectady, New York Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...

(1901–03) *

Henry S. De Forest Henry Schermerhorn De Forest (February 16, 1847 – February 13, 1917) was a U.S. Representative from New York. Early life Henry Schermerhorn DeForest was born in Schenectady, New York, on February 16, 1847. He was the third son of Sarah (n ...

house, 718 Union St,

(1902) * Melrose Public Library, 69 W Emerson St,

Melrose, Massachusetts Melrose is a city located in the Greater Boston metropolitan area in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Its population, per the 2020 United States Census, is 29,817. It is a suburb located approximately seven miles north of Boston. I ...

(1903–04, NRHP 1988) * Miller Building, 522 Congress St,

Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropol ...

(1904, NRHP 1996)Christopher W. Closs
Porteous, Mitchell and Braun Company Building NRHP Registration Form
(1996) *

Aldrich Public Library The Aldrich Public Library is the public library serving the city of Barre, Vermont. It is located at 6 Washington Street in the city center, in an architecturally distinguished Classical Revival building constructed in 1907–08 with funds beque ...

, 6 Washington St,

Barre, Vermont Barre, Vermont may refer to: *Barre (city), Vermont *Barre (town), Vermont Barre ( ) is a New England town, town in Washington County, Vermont, Washington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,923 at the 2020 census, making it the 3r ...

(1907–08, NRHP 2015) *

Foster Building The Foster Building, originally the Hotel Foster, is located on State Street (NY 5) in Schenectady, New York, United States. It is a commercial building in the Beaux-Arts architectural style. When built in 1907, it was the first building in the c ...

, 508 State St,

(1907, NRHP 1991) * Masonic Hall, 258 Main St,

Saco, Maine Saco is a city in York County, Maine, York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,381 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General ...

(1907) * Sanford City Hall, 919 Main St,

Sanford, Maine Sanford is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 21,982 in the 2020 census, making it the seventh largest municipality in the state. Situated on the Mousam River, Sanford includes the village of Springvale. The city ...

(1907) * Depositors Trust Company Building, 33 Water St,

Skowhegan, Maine Skowhegan () is the county seat of Somerset County, Maine. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 8,620. Every August, Skowhegan hosts the annual Skowhegan State Fair, the oldest continuously-held state fair in the United States. Skowh ...

(1909) *

Lynn Classical High School Lynn Classical High School is a high school in the city of Lynn, Massachusetts, United States. It is a part of Lynn Public Schools. The school was once located off of the Lynn Commons, in a building which is now the Fecteau-Leary school. The hig ...

(former), 33 N Common St,

(1909–11) * Elks Lodge, Division St,

Amsterdam, New York Amsterdam is a city in Montgomery County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 18,219. The city is named after Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The City of Amsterdam is surrounded on the northern, eastern ...

(1910, demolished) * Central Fire Station, 25 Central St,

Stoneham, Massachusetts Stoneham ( ) is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, nine miles (14.5 km) north of downtown Boston. Its population was 23,244 at the 2020 census. Its proximity to major highways and public transportation offer convenient access to Bos ...

(1916, NRHP 1984) * Hull Town Hall, 253 Atlantic Ave,

Hull, Massachusetts Hull is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, located on a peninsula at the southern edge of Boston Harbor. Its population was 10,072 at the 2020 census. Hull is the smallest town by land area in Plymouth County and the fou ...

(1919–21) * Colonel Nathaniel Shatswell School (former), 15 Green St,

Ipswich, Massachusetts Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,785 at the 2020 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island. A reside ...

(1925–26) * Salisbury Police and Fire Station (former), 18–24 Railroad Ave, Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts (1929)"Propose New Fire and Police Station at Salisbury Beach" in ''Newburyport Daily News'', March 6, 1929, 8.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Varney, Penn Architects from New Hampshire Architects from Lynn, Massachusetts 19th-century American architects 20th-century American architects People from Wolfeboro, New Hampshire 1859 births 1949 deaths