Andover Grange Patrons of Husbandry #183
180 Lowell Street & 210 Shawsheen Rd.

1890, February 17, Andover Grange organized. Thirty four members were on the original charter. Their early meetings were held in the Vestry of the West Parish Church.
Charter members; James J. Abbott, Mrs. Lucy A. Abbott, Edward F. Abbott, Mrs. Hattie R. Abbott, Samuel H. Bailey, Mrs. Elizabeth B. Bailey, Samuel H. Boutwell, Edward W. Boutwell, Mrs. Lilla F. Boutwell, Charles C. Blunt, Edward W. Burtt, Mrs. Emma A. Brutt, Sumner Carruth, Joshua H. Chandler, Mrs. Eldesta C. Chandler, Horace A. Wadsworth, Bertha A. Chandler, (Mrs. F. E. Bailey), Herman B. Chapman, Mrs. Lucy A. Chapman, William J. Clark, George E. Cline, Henry K. Flint, John E. Holt, Henry A. Hayward, Edward S. Hardy, Charles A. Jameson, Joseph T. Lovejoy, J. Warren Mooar, Mrs. Nellie C. Mooar, Alfred Playdon, Peter D. Smith, George D. Ward, Emma L. Ward, M. Lizzie Stevens, (Mrs. George E. Cline). (AT 2/25/1910 20 years of Andover Grange)

1893, June 1. - Andover Grange purchased ½ acre from the Andover Savings Bank west of the West Church Vestry and north of horse sheds, on Lowell Street. (bk. 126 pg. 77 NERDL)
1895 – “Plans were laid for the building of a new hall, to be used only for Grange purposes.” (AT 2/25/1910 20 years of Andover Grange)
1896, January 14, - Andover Grange dedicated new building on Lowell Street site.
1896, July 1. - Andover Grange takes mortgage with Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Co. bk. 148 pg. 263
1901, March 29 - Andover Grange to Andover Savings Bank bk. 184 pg. 48 mortgage

1908, November 2, - Andover Grange purchases land from Edith Hardy on Shawsheen Rd. directly behind the church building for the new site to move their building (bk.279 pg. 61)
1908, November 10 The Grange voted at a meeting on Nov. 10th to deed to William M. Wood upon receiving from Edith E. Hardy a deed of a like amount of land upon which to place the hall. It was signed Edward W. Burtt, Secretary. Then met on February 9, 1909 It was voted that the deed dated Nov. 24, 1908 having been Executive Committee, be and the same ratified and adopted and confirmed.
1909, Feb. 15. Andover Grange sells their land on Lowell St. to William M. Wood bk. 270 pg. 110
1909 – Grange Hall moved to 210 Shawsheen Road. The West Parish Church Vestry in background also moved in 1909 and was the first meeting place for the Grange when they organized in February 1890.
1928, September 22, - second parcel for land exchange bk. 543 pg. 113.
1928, Nov. 15. - Andover Grange in plan to exchange land with West Parish Church and Edith Hardy. This is the year West Parish builds new stone Vestry building.
(Plan #743 Deeds bk. 543 pg. 112 – bk. 542 pg. 113 Hardy bk. 542 pg. 112)

1957 April 9, Andover Grange to West Parish Church land conveyed bk. 852 pg. 367 , Land of 1928, Bk. 543 pg. 112. West Church expands vestry building and builds Fellowship Hall and Sunday school classrooms.

1972, May 12 - Andover Grange votes to sell property and their building to West Parish Church Inc. in two parcels for $8476.79. bk. 1192 pg 698. The same land acquired from Edith E. Hardy Nov. 2, 1908 bk. 279 pg. 61.

The Andover Grange disbanded and the church razed the building and now uses the site for additional parking.

The Andover Grange served the community of Andover as a center for farming agricultural education via lectures and monthly meetings for nearly 80 years. It was also a center of social activity, a voting polling place for West Andover and a function hall for West Parish Church until 1924. In the 1960s it served breifly as a center for youth programs, square dance lessons and more contemporary dances.