26-28 York Street

Architectural Description: 

NRDIS NRDIS
Dutch Colonial style: Double house

Historical Narrative: 

Shawsheen Village was named after the Native American name for the river Shawshin, which means Great Spring. Prior to Shawsheen Village this area was known as Frye Village. All the streets in the Village were named for Castles & Cathedrals in Great Britain.

York Street takes its name from York Minster Cathedral , seat of the Archbishop of York, second highest office in the Church of England. The Gothic Church is one of the largest in Northern Europe. There is also a York Castle, in York, England. A Norman castle built by William I

The north end of York St. was once part of the Walter Kaye property, and Smith & Dove Manufacturing Co. The Kaye home was moved to 26 Haverhill St. for construction of York St. Some homes nearer the entrance of Brickstone were first built in error on the entrance way to Wood’s Shawsheen Mills. Wood, away on tour in Europe, upon his return, saw the homes and said, “removed those home emediately” and so they were relocated to York St.

Andover Townsman (AT) - May 12, 1922 - The houses on York street extension are all completed, sewers have been put in and at the present time the street and sidewalks are being finished.

This home was built as part of the Shawsheen Village development 1918 – 1924 by William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Company. Wood hired about eight different architects to design the homes and structures for the village. Homes were leased or sold through the Homestead Association who had offices in the Post Office building on the corner of North Main & Poor Streets.

A walk down York Street will find a mix of the old and new as Wood moved a few older homes in Frye Village to sites on York St. and Balmoral St. Each home incorporates a different look, style and design modifications, most noticeable with the front door entrances. Decorative details on the corner boards and a variety of ornamental trellises add to the “icing on the cake, of the maintained original designs. Most of the homes now sport a variety of different colors no longer all white with green shutters as dictated in the original deeds.

After the death of William M. Wood on Feb. 2, 1926 most of the residential and commercial buildings were then sold. Some were held by the Wood family in the "Arden Trust" and others with the American Woolen Company, which had been deeded the property in December 1920. The A.W.Co. Board of Directors authorized its President, Lionel J. Noah, to deliver all deeds, as deemed necessary to the Textile Realty for sale on Dec. 29, 1931.

The Textile Realty then transferred ownership to the Andover Shawsheen Realty Company on June 30, 1932, holding the mortgage on the properties. T. Edwin Andrew, treasurer, was authorized to sell or lease the properties. With the Great Depression sales were sluggish and many homes were rented until the economy rebounded.

One of the first occupants of record to lease the home in 1926 were Charles & Doris Lynn in #26. Charles is a clerk with the AWCo. At #28 are John M. & Ruth Erving. John is a structural engineer with the A.W.Co. - Erving was living at 61 Salem St. in 1923.

This house was sold to Louise Pidgeon on July 22, 1940. In 1943 Fred S. Pidgeon a loom fixer with the American Woolen Co. lives in 26 with Irene L. M. Pidgeon. Louise Pidgen is not listed as she married John Vaff. Louise sold the property to her parents Alfred & Nora R. Pidgeon on Jan. 16, 1944. Alfred & Nora owned and lived next door at 24 York St. Unit #28 York was rented to Wallace & Corolyn Fielder. Wallace was in sales.

The property was then sold to William Lampros b.1921 and Aphrodite Lampros b.1894 on Aug. 10, 1950. William bought his mother's, Aphrodite, share of the property in 1975. William and wife Helen Lampros held the deed in Aug. 14, 1975. William is list as a Wholesaler in 1961. Lampros family owned the property for 45 years. William died on Nov. 26, 1993 and Helen Lampros then sold to Matthew J. & Kimberly J. Houlihan on Aug. 29, 1995.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Maps, 1852, 1872, 1888, 1906, 1926
Andover Street Directories
Mills, Mergers and Mansions, by Edward Roddy 1982
See Map plan #704 - American Woolen Company - Sept. 1927
#880 - June 1932 - Textile Realty Company lot #19

Owners;
Fannie S. Smith
Walter A. Kaye - July 7, 1907 - b. 250 p. 315
Henry P. Binney, Trustee of A. W. Co. - Mar. 25, 1916 - b. 362 p. 171
American Woolen Company, Wm. M. Wood Pres. - Dec. 30, 1920 - land
Textile Realty Co., Lionel J. Noah, Pres. A.W.Co. - Dec. 30, 1931 - b. 563 p. 334
Andover Shawsheen Realty Co. - June. 30, 1932 - b. 565 p. 87 - 32th parcel
Louise Pidgeon - July 22, 1940 - b. 632 p. 354
Louise Pidgeon Vaff, wife of John Vaff - 1944
Alfred & Nora R. Pidgeon - Jan. 16, 1944 - b. 670 p. 374
William Lampros and Aphrodite Lampros - Aug. 10, 1950 - b. 739 p. 345
William & Helen Lampros - Aug. 14, 1975 - b. 1265 p. 513
William Lampros estate, Helen Lampros heir - Nov. 26, 1993
Matthew J. & Kimberly J. Houlihan - Aug. 29, 1995 - b. 4327 p. 146
Douglas A. Sandra Coyle - May 27, 1998 - b. 5069 p. 180
Douglas A. Coyle - July 3, 2011 - b. 12543 p. 212

Inventory Data:

StreetYork St
PlaceShawsheen Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Historic NamePidgeon - Lampros House
Present Useresidence - 2 family
Original Useresidence - 2 family
Construction Date1921 - 1922
SourceERDS, ENRDL, assessers' rec./style-njs
Architectural StyleColonial Revival
Architect/BuilderAdden & Parker of Boston
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimshingle/wood
Roofgambrel/asphalt
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.195
Settingresidential/commerical
Map and parcel35-13
MHC NumberANV.1436
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975 - 1977, 7/21/2015

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