Waverly Village Hall
Why it's listed
Completed in 1892 on Broad Street in Waverly, this three and one-half story brick and stone building was designed as a fire hall for the village's three volunteer fire companies, with rooms upstairs for the police and village trustees. Architect J.H. Pierce of the Elmira firm Pierce and Bickford drew the plans, and local builder Sherman A. Genung won the construction contract with a bid of $16,346.13. Romanesque-style arches, rusticated stone, brick pilasters with Corinthian-style capitals and a Queen Anne bell tower give the building its character. Inside, the original main staircase, wainscoting and oak flooring survive. The hall is significant for its late nineteenth century design and for more than a century of continuous municipal use. The police department and village court still operate there, and the tower remains a recognizable landmark in the commercial district. Pierce and Bickford also oversaw renovations in the 1920s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a distinguished example of late nineteenth century public/commercial block architecture and Victorian eclectic design (Criterion C). It is also locally significant in municipal government history (Criterion A) because the village has used it continuously for protective services and other functions. Its bell tower marks the center of Broad Street and the commercial district.
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 03000600, listed July 5, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 358-360 Broad St., Waverly |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | July 5, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000600 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1892-1953 |
| Architect / builder | J.H. Pierce (architect); Sherman A. Genung (builder) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian; Victorian Eclectic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in municipal use as the police department headquarters and village court space. The fire department has moved to a new facility but stores historic artifacts and furnishings in the building. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.00094, -76.53911 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 03000600.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7975501
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.