23 Arundel Street

Architectural Description: 

NRDIS
Colonial Revival - Garrison Colonial

Historical Narrative: 

Building marker 1993, Preservation Award, exterior preservation, 2009
Shawsheen Village was named after the Native American name for the river Shawshin, which means Great Spring. Arundel Street takes its name from Arundel Castle, a restored medieval castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England. home to the Dukes of Norfolk. All the streets in Shawsheen Village were named for Castles & Cathedrals in Great Britain.

Prior to Shawsheen Village this area was known as Frye Village. The town of Andover purchased land from York Street to the Boston and Maine Railroad or the use of a Town Farm or Alms House in 1807.

This home was built as part of the Shawsheen Village development 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 sold or leased through the Homestead Association who had offices in the Post Office building on the corner of North Main & Poor Streets.

Many streets in the village have a variety of different homes by different architects. Arundel Street is unique in that one architect is responsible for nearly every home on the street. Wood chose Addison LeBoutillier, an Andover resident, of the Boston firm Ripley & LeBoutillier. The firm had designed the new wing on the North School in West Andover in 1914, the new Punchard High School wing in 1916 (now Andover Town Offices) and the crowning jewel of the village, the beautiful Shawsheen School in 1923.

Architect Addison B. LeBoutillier was born in Utica, NY on July 5, 1872. He trained under O.K. Foote in Rochester, NY. He worked briefly with the Boston firm of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge Addison is hired as a graphic designer for the Grueby Faience Co. of Boston (1898-1909). In 1905 LeBoutillier and family move to Andover, MA purchasing an old farmhouse at 10 Orchard St. Addison redesigns the house, later moves the barn and converts it into a new house for his family at 14 Orchard. LeBoutillier partners with Hubert Ripley as Ripley and LeBoutillier Architects, Boston.

A walk down Arundel Street does not disappoint. 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 add to the “icing on the cake, of the maintained original designs. Most of the homes now sport a variety of different colors and some have garages to the rear. Many have enclosed the open porches for additional rooms on the interiors. The wide street and mature landscape add to the charm of the neighborhood.

Behind the houses on the east side of the street is a sidewalk called "Piccadilly Path" which lead from Burnham Rd to the train station next to Brickstone Square. The path once had benches & period street lights (some light bases are still there) and was a Victorian promenade for residents taking the train to Boston or to work in the Shawsheen Mills. This deed gave the right to use the Path.
In Sept. 20, 1962 the Briggs family purchased the 30' deep portion of the Path adjoining their property.

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 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.

One of the first occupants of record to lease the home in 1926 were Robert E. & Sadie E. Larcome. Robert was a bookkeeper for the American Woolen Company. In 1943 James E. & Margaret A. Williamson are leasing the home. James is a chemist for the Tyer Rubber Co.

This house was sold to John J. & Margaret W. Calnan on Jan. 2, 1945. In 1946 John, age 28, lists his occupation as Head Accountant. Margaret age 25 a housewife. Calnan owned for seven years then sold to Winston C. & Virginia Briggs on May 1, 1952. Winston b. 1919 was a Salesman. Virginia b. 1926 is a housewife. The Briggs owned for 32 years the selling to Robert R. & Lesley A. McCumber on Sept. 27, 1984, now just the third owners of the property. The McCumbers continue as owners of record in 2015.

All neighbors used a central garage (now Village Buick). No driveways were allowed, no laundry could be hung outside on Sundays. Houses had to be white with green shutters. All woodwork and fireplace mantles were custom made by William Wood at a milling shop on Haverhill Street near the old Bank of Northeast branch.

Telephone lines still come in the house in underground wiring in cedar linings.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Maps, 1852, 1872, 1888, 1906, 1926
Andover Street Directories
Mills, Mergers and Mansions, by Edward Roddy 1982
See Map plan #704 - American Woolen Company - Sept. 1927
#878 - June 1932 - Textile Realty Company lot #56
See #7 Argyle St. for Town Farm history

Owners;
Samuel Abbot - 1804 - 90 acre farm
Inhabitants of Town of Andover - 1807 – 1921 – Town Farm
Varter & Havenes Dagdegian - July 11, 1921 - b. 443 p. 503
Town of Andover, Geo. C. H. Dufton - July 12, 1921 - b. 443 p. 505 - 13.66 A
Town of Andover, July 12, 1921 - Town Meeting Nov. 1, 1921 sell
American Woolen Co., Wm. M. Wood - July 11, 1921 - b. 443 p. 296 - 12.56 acres - lot 1
American Woolen Co.- Nov. 15, 1921 - b. 450 p. 342 - 10 acres- lot 2
Textile Realty Co., Lionel J. Noah, Pres. A.W.Co. - Dec. 30, 1931 - b. 563 p. 334
Andover Shawsheen Realty Co. - June. 30, 1932 - b. 565 p. 87 - 17th parcel
John J. & Margaret W. Calnan - Jan. 2, 1945 - b. 670 p. 512
Winston C. & Virginia Briggs - May 1, 1952 - b. 762 p. 515
Robert R. & Lesley A. McCumber - Sept. 27, 1984 - b. 1872 p. 161
McCumber Realty Trust, Lesley A. Tr. - Mar. 16, 1992 - b. 11043 p. ?
Robert R. & Lesley A. McCumber - Sept. 10, 2010 - b. 12181 p. 68

Piccadilly Path - strip
Andover Shawsheen Realty Co. Apr. 12, 1938 - b. 620 p. 413 - parcel 1
Winston C. & Virginia Briggs - Sept. 20, 1962 - b. 968 p. 285

Inventory Data:

StreetArundel St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Historic NameCalnan - Briggs - McCumber House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1922 - 1923
SourceERDS, ENRDL
Architectural StyleColonial Revival
Architect/BuilderAddison B. LeBoutillier
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimclapboards
Roofhip - slate
Outbuildings / Secondary Structuressmall clapboard wood shed
Major AlterationsLibrary addition 14" x 24" with fireplace (April 1990)
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.236 acre, 10,260 sq. ft.
Settingresidential
Map and parcel36-71
MHC NumberANV.1223
Recorded byRobert & Lesley McCumber, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Historical Society - Andover Preservation Commission
Date entered1993, 7/11/2015

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