History

The History of the Cony Flatiron Apartments

Built from the mid 1920s-early 1930s, the former Cony High School is referred to as a “flatiron” building due to its wedge-shaped (or “flatiron”) shape.

In the decades to follow, some of the school’s students would move on to become nationally and internationally-known personalities, including actor Richard Dysart and ballet dancer/instructor Alphonse Poulin.

The three-story building served as a school until 2006: after that time, the City of Augusta maintained the structure for use as a heated storage facility.

In 2013, Housing Initiatives of New England proposed a project transforming the facility into housing units for senior citizens, utilizing Maine State Housing Authority tax credits and several grants.

The building was named after its benefactor, Daniel Cony. Born in Stoughton, Massachusetts in 1752, Cony practiced medicine for many years before entering the public realm as a representative, senator and member of the executive council. He’d eventually go on to hold office as a Kennebec County judge and serve as a convention delegate for the Maine state constitution.

A strong advocate for education, Cony was said to have liberally funded an Augusta-based academy for female students, leading the local school officials to name the local high school in his honor well over a century after his death.

The historic Daniel Cony clock remains in the building in its fully-restored state. An inscription on the clock’s face reads “Presented by Hon. Daniel Cony. Time Is Fleeting.”