Architectural Description:
Colonial Revival - Dutch Colonial
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 new Village were named for Castles & Cathedrals in Great Britain Stirling Street takes its name from Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, Scotland and is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill a strategic location overlooking the Fourth River. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary Queen of Scots, in 1542
This house is in the Shawsheen Village National Register Historic District, surveyed in 1977 and created in 1979. It was designated a National Register Historic District in 1980 by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
This home was built as part of the Shawsheen Village development from 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 through the Homestead Association who had offices in the Post Office building on the corner of North Main & Poor Streets, later moved into the Administration Building.
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, window boxes all added the “icing on the cake, of the 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. Many of the original screen porches have been enclosed for an additional room.
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 Co. 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.
This home is listed as vacant in 1926.
This house was sold to Earl A. & Bertha R. Baker on Dec. 1, 1936. Earl was an electrician. Bertha R. C. Baker b. 1899 inherited the property with her husbnd's death. Bertha died in 1968 and the property was sold to Jessie M. Earnshaw. Bakers held the property for 32 years.
Bibliography/References:
Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Maps, 1852, 1872, 1888, 1906, 1926
Andover Street Directories
Andover Townsman
Mills, Mergers and Mansions, by Edward Roddy 1982
See Map plan #704 - American Woolen Company - Sept. 1927
#708 - Nov. 1927 - AWCo.
Land Court Map #1726-E - lot 12
Owners;
Isaac Wilson of North Andover - woodland
Isaac Wilson estate; Susan P. (Wilson) Green heir
Issac L. Farnham - Aug. 7, 1880 - b. 80 p. 252 - 14 acre portion
Issac L. Farnham estate, Sarah M. Farnham & Charles H. Farnham heirs
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 11, 1902 - b. 197 p. 367 - 22.4 acre
John B. Warwick - Feb. 12, 1904 - b. 209 p. 131
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 20, 1904 - b. 215 p. 42
Thomas E. Bowler - Sept. 21, 1904 - b. 215 p. 44 mtg deed
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 21, 1904 - b. 215 p. 46 - 6 acres
Thomas E. Bowler - April 21, 1907 - Certificate # 165 - land court
Thomas T. Clark, wife Louisa A. - June 26, 1907 - Ctf. #166
Thomas E. Bowker -
Thomas T. Clark - June 26, 1907 - lot A - Certificate #116 - 4.3 acres
American Woolen Company, Wm. M. Wood Pres. Oct. 2, 1920 – Certificate #992
Textile Realty Co., Lionel J. Noah, Pres. A.W.Co. - Dec. 30, 1931 Ctf #1925
Andover Shawsheen Realty Co. - June. 30, 1932 Ctf. #1932
Earl A. & Bertha R. Baker - Dec. 1, 1936 - Ctf. #2216
Earl A. Baker heir, Bertha R. C. Baker estate - June 18, 1968 - Probate
Clarence & Jessie M. Earnshaw - #6234
George J. & Caroline A. Fantini, Jr. - June 30, 1971 - Ctf. #6659
Keith M & Nancy J. Reading - Oct. 7, 1976 - Ctf. #7589
Nancy J. Reading - Oct. 6, 1981 - Ctf. #8904
Nancy Reading Trust, Nancy Reading, Trustee - Aug. 6, 2008 - Ctf. #15926
Richard & Erin L. Taylor - Feb. 11, 2011 - Ctf. #16435
Inventory Data:
Street | Stirling St |
Place | Shawsheen Village - Frye Village |
Historic District | Shawsheen Village NRH District |
Historic Name | Earl A. & Bertha R. Baker House |
Present Use | residence |
Original Use | residence - mill housing |
Construction Date | 1921 - 1922 |
Source | ERDS, ENRDL, assessers' rec./style-njs |
Architectural Style | Colonial Revival |
Architect/Builder | Chester A. Patten |
Foundation | stone |
Wall/Trim | cedar shingle/wood |
Roof | slate - gambrel |
Major Alterations | None |
Condition | excellent |
Acreage | 0.165 acre |
Setting | residential |
Map and parcel | 18-80 |
Recorded by | Stack/Mofford, James Batchelder |
Organization | Andover Preservation Commission |
Date entered | 1975 - 1977, 8/29/2015 |