Allen Evans

Allen Evans (December 8, 1849 – February 28, 1925) was an American architect and partner in the Philadelphia firm of Furness & Evans. His best known work may be the Merion Cricket Club.

He was the son of Dr. Edmund C. Evans (1813–1881) and Mary S. Allen (1816–1861), of Paoli, Pennsylvania. He attended schools in West Chester, followed by Philadelphia Polytechnic College, 1866-68. He worked as a draftsman for architect Samuel Sloan, and was working for Furness & Hewitt by 1872. When that firm was dissolved in 1875, he remained with Furness, rising to chief draftsman, and partner in 1881. Four other long-term employees were made partners in 1886, and Furness & Evans was renamed Furness, Evans & Company.

Evans brought social connections to the firm, and initially designed houses for family and friends. He developed a small-scaled but vibrant version of the Shingle Style. Based on stylistic grounds, Furness expert George E. Thomas suggests that Evans made major contributions to the Seamen's Church (1878, burned 1974), "Dolobran" (1881), and "Windon" (1882). He was a founding member of the Merion Cricket Club, designed its Ardmore clubhouse (1880, burned 1892), and its clubhouses and other buildings in Haverford.

Following the Civil War, his father purchased more than 100 acres of land northeast of Haverford Station. This was later sold off in parcels to Alexander Cassatt (to build "Cheswold"), Clement Griscom (to build "Dolobran"), J. Randall Williams (to build "Harleigh"), and the Merion Cricket Club. Dr. Evans and other relatives built their own country houses (and a rental property) on the land, all designed by the architect in the family.

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