This smoke stack and small building that surrounds its base is all that remains of the old Engine and Boiler plant. The smoke stack is 115' high and was built when the new Main Mill plant was rebuilt in 1894. The smoke stack is now the only remaining stack still standing on an industrial site in Andover.

Originally all industrial plants in Andover were powered by turbine engines driven by the water from the Shawsheen River. Alternate power was provided by coal burning furnaces via steam powered engines. Large flywheels with leather belts then turned all the machinery necessary to process the flax into linen thread. This boiler house was connected to both the old stone mill and the Main Mill building. The coal pocket was located on the side of the hill beyond the Hackling building. Coal was delivered by rail car above, unloaded into the sheds then transferred to wagons to load the boiler house with fuel.
Electricity did not arrive in Andover until 1889.

It is not known exactly when the boiler house was decommissioned. A fire gutted a large portion of the building in the 1970s' and all that remained was the outside wall along the riverside. This was removed in the early 2000's when the former bridge crossing the river was condemned and removed.

The lot is now owned under the name of J. R. B. Realty Trust August 2008.

As early as 1682 this area of Andover was being offered by the Town Proprietors as a “Mill privilege on the Shawshin, near Roger’s brook” to any inhabitant willing to build a saw mill. In 1753 one half of a saw mill was sold by Humphrey Holt to Asa Abbot and then in 1764 to Nathan Abbot.

Abbott Village was established early in the 1800's with the more than adequate source of water to power the mills. Abel & Paschal Abbott moved their wool mill operation here from the North Parish about 1815. Abiel Russell was their first foreman and Daniel Saunders leased a portion from 1817-1825. James Howarth established a wool mill 1824-1847, building the stone mill on the east side of the river. The Abbot brothers had a successful business until about 1838 when the market took a down turn. Creditors sold the Abbot Mill buildings to Smith & Dove Co. in 1843.

Smith & Dove Co. produced linen thread and was established in Frye Village (Shawsheen Village) in 1835. The company founders John Smith, Peter Smith and John Dove were all Scottish immigrants from Brechin in County Angus. The company continued operations in both Frye and Abbott Villages gradually relocating all production up river to this location. In 1865 they became the Smith & Dove Manufacturing Co. producing linen thread for shoe laces, carpets and sail cloth. Later operations included broad cloth. Smith & Dove is said to be the first linen production manufacturer in the United States. The company continued to expand operations through the years and by 1894 had completely abandoned the former plants in Frye Village. A new Main Mill plant opened in 1894 in Abbott Village and improvements continued well into the first decade of the 20th century

In 1927 the Smith & Dove Co. was sold to the Trustees of the Ludlow Manufacturing Associates of Ludlow, MA. The housing real estate was placed in the Smith & Dove Tenements, Inc. that year, changing the name to Andover Homes, Inc. that then sold off the housing stock to private hands. The company operations were moved to Ludlow, MA and the mill closed in 1928.

The Indian Ridge Co.,Inc. acquired the mill properties and some of the housing stock. Through the company treasurer Virgil D. Harrington the mill buildings were then parceled off sold to private investors. Hattie V. Stephenson purchased the Old Engine & Boiler plant lot in May 22, 1937 when she acquired the Main Mill Building. Hattie then sold in May 1950 to Jack G. Berman.

Jack G. Berman, Benj. Berman, Robert G. Goldman were business partners and in Dec. 1, 1950 the deeds were transferred in their names. After Berman's death
new partners purchased the property, Robert G. Goldman, Erwin R. Kaufman, and Siegfried Kellerman in June 18, 1957.

Siegfried Kellerman became owner on Jan. 6, 1966 and the deeds were placed into the Alna Realty Trust, Siegfried Kellerman, Trustee. The Old Engine & Boiler plant lot was sold off to Kebur Realty Trust in June 4, 1969 – Edmund F. Burke, Paul M. Burke, Richard V. Burke Jr. Lawrence J. Burke & Christine H. Reed then all Trustees.
Kebur Realty Trust, Paul Keating, trustee – May 14, 1970
J. R. B. Realty Trust, Richard V. & Jean L. Burke, trustees – Aug. 21, 2008