Waverly Junior and Senoir High School
Also known as: Mary W. Muldoon High School
Why it's listed
Completed in 1913, this brick school at 443 Pennsylvania Avenue in Waverly, New York, replaced a small 1857 school on the same site. W.T. Towner of New York designed it in a Jacobean-inspired style, and L.F. Lord and Son of Waverly built it. It has three sections with tiled gable roofs, tall chimneys, cast stone window surrounds and a classical entrance with Doric columns. The plan follows New York's 1904 school house law, with fire-resistant brick and concrete, stairwells at both ends and single-sided classroom lighting. The school also honors Mary Muldoon, a teacher and principal who served twenty-two years, introduced industrial and domestic sciences, and in 1927 founded a fund to help retired teachers. The building served as a high school and junior high until 1967, when it became administrative offices. Its exterior and many interior features remain largely intact, and it is now listed as vacant.
Significance in brief: The building is presented as an intact, representative example of early twentieth century public school architecture in New York's Southern Tier, designed to meet New York's 1904 school house law as amended in 1910. It is also associated with Mary W. Muldoon, a teacher and principal who founded a teachers' assistance fund and introduced industrial and domestic sciences. The form argues the school retains a high level of integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 97001389, listed November 7, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 443 Pennsylvania Ave., Waverly |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | November 7, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001389 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1949 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: W.T. Towner, New York; Builder: L.F. Lord and Son, Waverly |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revival/Tudor Revival (described in the text as Jacobean Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a school until 1967, then as administrative offices and offices/apartments; the current function is listed as vacant/not in use. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.00408, -76.53795 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 97001389.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7975488
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.