Holman K. Wheeler was a prolific Massachusetts architect. Wheeler (working alone or with partners) is responsible for designing more than 400 structures in the city of Lynn alone, including the iconic High Rock Tower which is featured prominently on the Lynn city seal. While practicing in Lynn and Boston over a career spanning at least 35 years Wheeler designed structures throughout the Essex County area, including Haverhill, Marblehead, Newburyport, Salem, Swampscott, and Lynn. Wheeler is responsible for a total of five Lynn structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, more than any other person or firm.

Life Holman King Wheeler was born October 26, 1859, in Berlin, Massachusetts. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, then located in Boston. He graduated in 1882.Technology Review Jan. 1920: 80. He had worked in the offices of Lynn architects beginning in 1878, and began working on his own by 1883.American Architect and Building News 2 July 1883: 2. In 1884 he formed the firm of Wheeler & Northend in Lynn, with Salem architect W. Wheelwright Northend. Northend resumed his independent practice around 1893, and Wheeler continued alone. In 1904 he established a partnership with Charles L. Betton, Wheeler & Betton. Betton had left by 1914, and Wheeler established Wheeler & Johnson with Leonard P. Johnson. By 1919, Wheeler had left the Lynn area, heading south to Boston. He did at least one project from his office in that city, but had retired to his and his wife's home in Newton by 1920.American Contractor 11 Oct. 1919: 50.

Partners

Northend William Wheelwright Northend was born in 1857 in Salem to later Massachusetts State Senator William Dummer Northend. He was the younger brother to Mary Harrod Northend. Originally intending to practice law, he graduated from Bowdoin College in 1880. Turning to architecture, he worked for Hartwell & Richardson and Cobb & Frost. He then attended M. I. T. for a year before studying in Paris.Biographical Sketches of the Members of the Class of 1880, Bowdoin College. 1890. Prior to establishing a firm with Wheeler, he had opened an office in Salem.The Essex County Directory for 1884-85. 1884. After the firm's dissolution, he practiced alone for a year before his death in 1894. He was the architect of Swampscott's Phillips High School, opened in 1894 and demolished c.2018. (Sources disagree on whether Northend or Wheeler was the architect.)

Betton Charles Louis Betton was born in 1870, and died in 1934 in Lynn. After leaving Wheeler, Betton established his own office. He designed the Pickering School in 1916 on Conomo Ave, Lynn.Bridgemen's Magazine April 1916: 243. He also did extensive industrial work.

Johnson Leonard P. Johnson was a consulting architect for Willett, Sears and Company until January 1, 1914, when he took over the office of George A. Cornet in Lynn after Cornet was elected the city's commissioner of public property. By 1923, he was an architect and construction engineer for the American Woolen Company and had moved to the company's Shawsheen Village. He was also an architect for Coolidge Shepley Bulfinch and Abbott and did residential work in Andover, Massachusetts. He died on March 8, 1967, at the Masonic Home in Charlton, Massachusetts, at the age of 89.

Architectural works Wheeler & Northend, 1884-1893 1885 - G. A. R. Hall, 58 Andrew St, Lynn, Massachusetts Listed on National Register of Historic Places General Frederick W. Lander (for whom the Lynn G.A.R. Post is named) while attending Governor Dummer Academy began a longtime friendship with William Dummer Northend, father of William Wheelwright Northend 1885 - Grader Block, 3 Pleasant St, Marblehead, Massachusetts"Block Grader, The" mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. 1886 - John A. Greenwood House, 158 South Common St, Lynn, Massachusetts"Greenwood, John House" mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. 1887 - Sylvanus P. Gardner House, 1 Windsor St, Haverhill, Massachusetts"Gardner, Sylvanus Porter House" mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. 1888 - Central Police Station, 18 Sutton St, Lynn, MassachusettsAnnual Report of the Auditor of Accounts of the City of Lynn for the Year Ending December 20, 1888. 1889. Demolished. 1889 - Lynn Police Department Stables, 28-30 Sutton St, Lynn, Massachusetts Demolished. 1889 - Lynn High School (1892 building), 498 Essex St, Lynn, MassachusettsAnnual Report of the Auditor of Accounts of the City of Lynn for the Year Ending December 20, 1889. 1890. Listed on National Register of Historic Places Original building section destroyed by fire on March 29, 1924 Later the English High School. Now residential units. 1890 - Myra S. Rowell House, 94 Elmwood Rd, Swampscott, Massachusetts"View of 94 Elmwood Road residence, corner of Monument Avenue, Swampscott, Mass., undated". https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/gusn/196830/. n.d. Web."Rowell, Myra S. - Coulhurst, George H. L. House" https://mhc-macris.net/Details?MhcId=SWA.51. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. 1890 - Tapley Building, 206 Broad St, Lynn, Massachusetts Listed on National Register of Historic Places Burned in 1999. 1890 - Heffernan Block, 1-5 Exchange St & 402-404 Union St, Lynn, Massachusetts Demolished as part of the Lynn Central Square railroad grade separation 1890 - John S. Earl Building, 9-13 Exchange St & 406-408 Union St, Lynn, Massachusetts Also referred to as "Earl's Block" Demolished as part of the Lynn Central Square railroad grade separation 1891 - Oxford Club, 106 Broad St, Lynn, Massachusetts Wheeler was a member. The building has been highly altered. 1891 - Essex County Courthouse (Remodeling), 34 Federal St, Salem, MassachusettsTolles, Bryant F. Architecture in Salem: An Illustrated Guide. 1983. c.1891 - Lucien [sic] Newhall Block, 25-35 Central Ave and 30-33 Willow St, Lynn, Massachusetts ("Lucien" is a mis-spelling of "Lucian") Demolished. Former location is now the parking lot at the rear of the "flatiron" building, diagonally opposite the Thomas P. Costin Jr. Post Office Building 1893 - Lynn Armory, 36 South Common St, Lynn, MassachusettsPublic Documents of Massachusetts for the Year 1894. 1895. Listed on National Register of Historic Places

Holman K. Wheeler, 1893-1904 1894 - The Phillips School, Greenwood Avenue, Swampscott, Massachusetts Sources disagree on whether Northend or Wheeler was the architect. First High School in Swampscott Demolished c.2018 1895 - Naumkeag Building, 203 Essex St, Salem, Massachusetts 1895 - Hugh E. Murphy Building, Washington St near Monroe St 1895 - Proctor Building, 31 Exchange St, Lynn, Massachusetts"Proctor, Thomas E. Building" mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. 1895 - Edward Heffernan Block, 516-520 Washington Street, Lynn, Massachusetts"Heffernan, Edward Block" https://mhc-macris.net/Details?MhcId=LYN.420 Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. Demolished September 2021"Two New High-Rise Developments Coming to Downtown Lynn" https://www.ediclynn.org/news/111720.html 1897 - Henry B. Falls Apartments, 110-120 Broad St, Lynn, Massachusetts"Falls, Henry B. Block" https://mhc-macris.net/Details?MhcId=LYN.620. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. 1900 - Bacheller School, 35 Lynnfield St, Lynn, MassachusettsAmerican Architect and Building News 16 June 1900: xi. 1900 - Jackman School, School St, Newburyport, MassachusettsCity of Newburyport, Mayor's Address and the Annual Reports to the City Council for the Year 1901. 1902. Demolished. 1901 - Lynn Business College, 112 Exchange St, Lynn, Massachusetts"Lynn Business College" mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. 1902 - Eugene A. Putnam Apartments, 95 Union St, Lynn, MassachusettsAmerican Architect and Building News 12 July 1902: xi.

Wheeler & Betton, 1904-1914 1904 - High Rock Tower, High Rock Tower Reservation, Lynn, MassachusettsMorgan, Kieth N. Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston. 2009. Listed on National Register of Historic Places 1904 - Lennox Building, 184-186 Market St, Lynn, MassachusettsReal Estate Record and Builders' Guide 13 Aug. 1904: 376. Demolished. 1904 - Littlefield Building, 604 Essex St, Lynn, Massachusetts 1909 - Goddard Bros. Store, 76 Market St, Lynn, Massachusetts (currently occupied by Zimman's fabrics store) 1911 - Brewster Apartments, 26 Broad St, Lynn, Massachusetts"Brewster Apartment Building" mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web. 1912 - Arthur Wellington Pinkham (grandson of Lydia Pinkham) House, 311 Western Ave, Lynn, Massachusetts Now the Lucia Lighting Company

Wheeler & Johnson, 1914-c.1918 1915 - English High School (Addition), 498 Essex St, Lynn, MassachusettsAmerican Contractor 5 June 1915: 69. The James Street wing. 1915 - Littlefield Building, 604 Essex St, Lynn, Massachusetts (addition) 1917 - A. J. Mulholland Tannery, 14 Proctor St, Salem, MassachusettsAmerican Contractor 9 Dec. 1916: 21.

Holman K. Wheeler, c.1918-1919 1919 - Dry Storage Building, Chestnut Street, Amesbury, Massachusetts, for Biddle & Smart Co.

Architectural drawings

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Lynn, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Massachusetts

References