This stairway is about 110' in length and was constructed to access High Street, now High Vale Lane since 1990, on the ridge above. The parcel of land was once part of John Marland's 200 acre farm in Ballardvale. John Marland was the owner of the Ballard Vale Company, established on Feb. 25, 1836 with Abraham J. Gould and Mark H. Newman. Marland became insolvent in 1847 and most of his property would later be sold off at auction. Little, Alden & Company of Boston held two mortgages, and took possession of the estate properties. James L. Little, William Munroe Jr. of Boston, David G. Ranney of Charlestown, MA and Paul Alden of NYC. foreclosed on Dec. 20, 1847.

Garden Warren purchased the late homestead of John Marland on Andover St. on May 15, 1853 for $3000. The second parcel on River St. was this lot extending from River St. up the hill and along High St. James Damon had purchased 80 acres of the 200 acre Marland estate.

George Ellis of Newton, MA purchased the property of the Ballard Vale Manufacturing Co. on Aug. 14, 1854. for $24,000 and sold ten years later to George J. Tenney and Samuel Little of Georgetown for $37,500. on April 27, 1864.

Tenney & Little would sell this parcel to the Reverend Louis W. Edge in December 1867. The St. Joseph's Church parcel had been purchased by Father Edge in March of 1867. Clearly the plan was to build a house of worship for the Roman Catholics of the village. The staircase was already in place for the families that occupied the three homes on High St., connected to the Mill. Felix Haynes who owned the grocery store across the street at 205 Andover St. lived at 26 High St. from 1878 to his death in 1907. One can imagine Haynes descending these stairs each morning and ascending them each night after a long day of work.

The stairway was first a wooden structure but later built of concrete with iron pipe railings. This provided almost direct access from the village center to the church when built in 1881. The then church building was dedicated on October 23, 1881. The property continues to be owned by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston.