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. Enmore Street takes its name from Enmore Castle, an historic building in the village of Enmore, Somerset, England.

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.

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.

The first occupants of record to lease the home; Andover Townsman Sept. 22, 1922 p. 8 - Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Kemp and family have moved to 18 Enmore street from Lawrence. Thomas & Nellie Kemp are also here in 1928-1929. Thomas was a machinist.

This house was sold to Chester A. & Martha J. Johnson Oct. 8, 1936. Chester was an electrical engineer for the American Woolen Co. Chester died on Aug. 26, 1942 and his wife Martha J. then placed the property in her name and Doris E. Johnson on Sept. 11, 1942. Doris was a mill worker at the Shawsheen MIll. They sold to Thomas J. & Mary P. Riley on June 28, 1945.