Architectural Description:
From Dale Street this building looks to be a one story extended Cape style building but is actually built into the hillside. To the rear of he property one discovers that it is a two story structure with a projecting center wing, typical of many mill buildings of this period. The windows have been replaced but one original 12 over 12 glass lights remains on the rear of the building.
Historical Narrative:
This building was once part of the Ballard Vale Mills Co. complex and is listed on maps as the Counting Building. The Ballard Vale Mills CO. sold their complex to Marshall I. Stone of Newton, MA on Feb. 21, 1928. The company held the mortgage loan. A default on the loan in 1943 forced a taking of the property and the mortgage deed was then sold to Helen A. Kendall, wife of Warren C. Kendall, of Washington DC. on Aug. 12, 1943. The property contain several mill buildings on 21.73 acres of land on both sides of the Shawsheen River.
In April of the following year Kendall then sold the complex to Wool Warehouse, INC. Edmund F. Leland, Jr. President. The deed map created on May 29, 1944 (map #1460) with 18.73 acres of land. The Town of Andover took about 2.5 acres for a sewer pumping station. C. Lincoln Giles purchased the complex on Aug. 25, 1961. Giles was a developer and architect in Andover and began rehabilitating the old mill buildings for multi business use.
Giles sold off the old wooden Counting Building to Atlas Electrical Co. Inc. of Lawrence, MA on July 20, 1962. The owners of the company were James P. & Justine H. Doherty of North Andover. The Atlas Electrical Co. owned the property for nine years then selling on August 25, 1971 to Charles A. & Marilyn E. Cronin. The Cronin family owns and distributes Cronin's Ice Cream. They continue as owners of record in 2016 now 45 years in this location.
Bibliography/References:
Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Ballardvale maps, 1848 - Darracott map of Ballard Vale Mill Co. holdings
1906 Map
Map pplan #718 - 1928 - Ballard Vale Mills Co.
Map plan #1460 - Apr. 1944 - Ballard Vale Mills
Map plan #1743 - Sept. 1946 - Marshall I. Stone - Dale St.
Map plan #2023 - June 1947 - George W. French - Dale St.
Map plan #4876 - Feb. 27, 1963 - C. Lincoln Giles
Owners;
Ballard Vale Mill Co. - 1840
J. Putnam Bradlee -
J. Putnam Bradlee estate, Wm. H. Hodgkins - Trustee - Feb. 28, 1887 probate
Ballard Vale Mills Co. Phillip R. French, Pres. - Feb. 6, 1905 - b. 218 p. 238
Marshall I. Stone - Feb. 21, 1928 - b. 538 p. 91
Stone to Ballard Vale Mills Co. - Feb. 21, 1928 - b. 538 p. 96 - mtg. deed
Ballard Vale Mills Co. - Aug. 12, 1943 - b. 659 p. 119 - Poss.
Helen A. Kendall, wife of Warren C. Kendall - Aug. 12, 1943 - b. 659 p. 120 - mtg. sale
Wool Warehouse, Inc. Edmund F. Leland, Jr. - April 1944 - b. 664 p. 181 - 184
C. Lincoln Giles - Aug. 25, 1961 - b. 943 p. 43
Atlas Electrical Co., Inc. - James P. Doherty, Treas. - July 20, 1962 - b. 963 p. 369
James P. & Justine H. Doherty - Nov. 28, 1962 - b. 975 p. 431
Charles A. & Marilyn E. Cronin - Aug. 25, 1971 - b. 1178 p. 154
Cronin Realty Trust, Charles & Marilyn Cronin, Trustees - May 1, 1973 - b. 1217 p. 265
Get Cool Realty, Carilyn C. Cronin & Christopher M. Cronin
Inventory Data:
| Street | Dale St |
| Place | Ballardvale |
| Historic District | Ballardvale National Register District |
| Present Use | business |
| Original Use | Ballard Vale Mills Counting Building |
| Construction Date | 1840 - 1850 |
| Source | ECRDS, ENRDL |
| Foundation | stone/granite |
| Wall/Trim | cedar shingles/wood |
| Roof | asphalt - gable |
| Outbuildings / Secondary Structures | accessory building at rear of building |
| Condition | good |
| Acreage | 0.341 |
| Setting | residential/business |
| Map and parcel | 138-23B |
| Recorded by | Ruth A. Sharpe (Andover Historical District) James Batchelder |
| Organization | Andover Preservation Commission |
| Date entered | Jun 1997, 10/2//2016 |
