The Varnum School is a historic former school building in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Greek Revival building was built in 1857, and was the first school built in the city's Centralville section after it was annexed to the city in 1851. The building was altered with a minor addition added in 1886, and a substantial Classical Revival addition was made in 1896.[2] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.[1] Vacant since the 2000s, it is now owned by a developer, and is slated for conversion to housing units.
The Varnum School building is set on the south side of Sixth Street, between Myrtle and Beech Streets in the city's Centralville neighborhood, located just across the Merrimack River from its central business district. It is a three-story brick structure, with two large sections joined by a smaller one. The section facing the street is a Classical Revival structure, three stories high, with a hip roof and a projecting gable-roofed center section. Its corners are articulated by brick pilasters with stone capitals, and its windows have granite sills and lintels. The third-floor windows are round-arched, while the others are regular sash. The cornice and the pedimented gable are modillioned. This section was built in 1896 to a design by Arthur M. Burtt.[3]
Behind this section is a narrow two-story section, which joins the front section to the school's original 1857 structure, a two-story gable-roofed structure with Greek Revival styling. The slate roof is pierced by several dormers, and is topped by a cupola. A south-facing entrance is sheltered by a flat-roof portico supported by square columns. The gabled side elevations are divided by pilasters at the corners and in the center, and the gable end is fully pedimented, with a half-round window at the center.[3]
The Centralville area was originally part of Dracut, but its proximity to Lowell's business and industrial centers brought it economically and socially closer to that community. In 1851 the area was annexed to the city. A school was built near this site in the 1830s by Joseph Bradley Varnum and his son, Benjamin Franklin Varnum, who owned a boarding house on the site of this building. When built in 1857, this school was the city's first elementary school in which students were separated by grade. Population growth in the area prompted the 1886 addition of two classrooms (now the center connecting section), and the eight-room 1897 addition, which is now the dominant part of the building.[3]
The building was used as a school into the 2000s. The city sold it to a private developer, who is planning a residential conversion.[4]
^"Varnum School". City of Lowell Website. City of Lowell. 2009.
^ abc"NRHP nomination for Varnum School". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
^"Lowell's Varnum School to house war veterans". Lowell Sun. December 11, 2012. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
May 07, 2024
varnum, school, historic, former, school, building, lowell, massachusetts, greek, revival, building, built, 1857, first, school, built, city, centralville, section, after, annexed, city, 1851, building, altered, with, minor, addition, added, 1886, substantial,. The Varnum School is a historic former school building in Lowell Massachusetts The Greek Revival building was built in 1857 and was the first school built in the city s Centralville section after it was annexed to the city in 1851 The building was altered with a minor addition added in 1886 and a substantial Classical Revival addition was made in 1896 2 The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 1 Vacant since the 2000s it is now owned by a developer and is slated for conversion to housing units Varnum SchoolU S National Register of Historic PlacesThe 1857 portion of the schoolShow map of MassachusettsShow map of the United StatesLocation103 Sixth Street Lowell MassachusettsCoordinates42 39 4 N 71 17 58 W 42 65111 N 71 29944 W 42 65111 71 29944Area1 24 acres 0 50 ha Built1857ArchitectArthur M BurttArchitectural styleGreek Revival Classical RevivalNRHP reference No 94001591 1 Added to NRHPJanuary 24 1995Description and history editThe Varnum School building is set on the south side of Sixth Street between Myrtle and Beech Streets in the city s Centralville neighborhood located just across the Merrimack River from its central business district It is a three story brick structure with two large sections joined by a smaller one The section facing the street is a Classical Revival structure three stories high with a hip roof and a projecting gable roofed center section Its corners are articulated by brick pilasters with stone capitals and its windows have granite sills and lintels The third floor windows are round arched while the others are regular sash The cornice and the pedimented gable are modillioned This section was built in 1896 to a design by Arthur M Burtt 3 Behind this section is a narrow two story section which joins the front section to the school s original 1857 structure a two story gable roofed structure with Greek Revival styling The slate roof is pierced by several dormers and is topped by a cupola A south facing entrance is sheltered by a flat roof portico supported by square columns The gabled side elevations are divided by pilasters at the corners and in the center and the gable end is fully pedimented with a half round window at the center 3 The Centralville area was originally part of Dracut but its proximity to Lowell s business and industrial centers brought it economically and socially closer to that community In 1851 the area was annexed to the city A school was built near this site in the 1830s by Joseph Bradley Varnum and his son Benjamin Franklin Varnum who owned a boarding house on the site of this building When built in 1857 this school was the city s first elementary school in which students were separated by grade Population growth in the area prompted the 1886 addition of two classrooms now the center connecting section and the eight room 1897 addition which is now the dominant part of the building 3 The building was used as a school into the 2000s The city sold it to a private developer who is planning a residential conversion 4 See also editNational Register of Historic Places listings in Lowell MassachusettsReferences edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 Varnum School City of Lowell Website City of Lowell 2009 a b c NRHP nomination for Varnum School Commonwealth of Massachusetts Retrieved 2015 05 24 Lowell s Varnum School to house war veterans Lowell Sun December 11 2012 Retrieved 2015 05 24 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Varnum School amp oldid 982756288, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
