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.

York Street takes its name from York Minster Cathedral , seat of the Archbishop of York, second highest office in the Church of England. The Gothic Church is one of the largest in Northern Europe. There is also a York Castle, in York, England. A Norman castle built by William I

A walk down York Street will find a mix of the old and new as Wood moved a few older homes in Frye Village to sites on York St. and Balmoral St. 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 no longer all white with green shutters as dictated in the original deeds.

The north end of York St. was once part of the Walter Kaye property, and Smith & Dove Manufacturing Co. The Kaye home was moved to 22 Haverhill St. for construction of York St. Some homes nearer the entrance of Brickstone were first built in error on the entrance way to Wood’s Shawsheen Mills. Wood, away on tour in Europe, upon his return, "discovered that an entire street had been laid out and a number of houses erected in the wrong place. "Move those houses and eliminate the street' Wood told George Wallace as he pointed his cane toward the offending site"

Andover Townsman (AT) - May 12, 1922 - The houses on York street extension are all completed, sewers have been put in and at the present time the street and sidewalks are being finished.

This house was not built as part of the Shawsheen Village development 1918 – 1924. The house is one of the survivors of Frye Village and was moved twice. The home was originally built at 248 North Main Street near the entrance of Caslte Heights. It was built in 1835 by Theodore Barnard. and then owned by Henry Wardwell.
On North Main St. just north of the brick –Marland –Stimson house, two homes built in the mid 1800s. The first was the Barnard – Wardwell house and the second was the Jeremiah Millet house.

The Barnard – Wardwell house was built for Theodore Barnard who purchased the lot from William Abbot on Aug. 27, 1835 for $57.50. Theodore was born on Dec. 25, 1772 in Newburyport, son of John & Sarah (Shattuck) Barnard. Theodore first married Nancy (Annie) Mansur and they had two children: Theodore b. 1805 in Dracut and Nancy. Annie died and on June 1, 1846 he married Mrs. Mehitable (Bailey) Goldsmith, widow of John Goldsmith. Theodore was a trader and had a General Store and house in the new City of Lawrence. His Andover home was then income property. Theodore died on Dec. 2, 1850 and Mehitable on Dec. 26th. The Barnard estate went to his two children Theodore Barnard and Nancy Morse. The Probate records show he owned 39 acres in Lawrence & buildings valued at $2400. A house on ¼ acre in Andover $700 and one undivided half of an 11 acre parcel also in Andover. The probate inventory was extensive listing every item in his store and homes.

The Andover house was sold at auction to Henry Wardwell on Feb. 9, 1852 for $600 on 2/3 acre with other buildings. The 1860 Valuation lists 1 acre lot with buildings $1075. Henry was born Oct. 10, 1799, son of John Jr. & Sarah (Trussel) Wardwell. He was a descendent of Andover’s Simon Wardwell who was hanged of Witchcraft in 1692.

Henry married Sept. 7, 1836 in Andover to Angeline Greenough of Salisbury b. 1814 - d. Apr. 2, 1869 age 55. Henry had listed his occupation as clothier, finisher of woolens, manufacturer and machinist. He most likely worked at the Marland Mill close by. Henry & Angeline had seven children: Mary W. b. Sept. 17, 1837 - d. June 8, 1863, William H. b. Mar. 25, 1839 - d. Aug. 1, 1863, PVT Maryland Heights when his gun seized, Elizabeth Jane b. Nov. 1, 1841 - d. Feb.22, 1842, Charlotte Battles b. Jan. 17, 1843. Sarah Jane b. Mar. 17, 1845 - d. Feb. 22, 1845, Julia Maria b. Oct. 5, 1846 and Anna J. b. Sept. 1849.
Henry and Angelina lived out their years in the home. Henry died on Feb. 28, 1868 age 68 and Angelina on April 2, 1869 age 55. They are interred in West Parish Cemetery as are Henry’s parents and some children.

The Wardwell estate was administered by E. Francis Holt and sold at auction in June 1869.
June 11, 1869 Andover Advertiser – Administrators Sale. – On Tuesday, June 29, at 4 o’clock PM, …The real estate of Henry Wardwell’s estate on Main St. midway between Frye & Marland Manufacturing villages and near the beautiful residences of the Messrs. John Dove and son. It consists of about one acre of land, a two story dwelling house, with four rooms on the lower floor, and conveniently arranged for one or two families; a barn & c. The buildings are in good repair and the situation is pleasant and convenient and it is all together a very desirable residence….

July 2, 1869 AA– George Foster sold by auction on Tuesday, the Henry Wardwell estate, on Main Street, consisting of about one acre of land with buildings for $1502. Purchaser John Dove.

The 1870 Valuation for John Dove fins the Wardwell House listed at $800, barn $100 and 1 acre of land $100. The Dove family held on to the Wardwell house for 11 years then sold the home but kept the land.

July 23, 1880 AA pg 3 - John Henderson is removing the “Wardwell house” from near the residence of George W. W. Dove to the corner in Frye Village, recently purchased of the heirs of the late Moses Nelson, and near the store. When completed, it will greatly improve the village and the removal of the building from its former location, gives a finer view from Mr. Dove’s house.
September 3, 1880 AA pg 3 - John Henderson has completed the house recently removed to the Nelson land.

The Wardwell house was then sited at the corner of Lowell St. at 340 North Main St,. facing east and would have been close to the front of the Post Office Building in the current Shawsheen Square.

November 24, 1899 AT - John H. Henderson has moved from the Village to his farm in Boxford. His brother-in-law, Mr. Frederickson and family, will occupy the house.

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 1923 were William & Agnes L. Anderson. William is listed as a tailor at #30, In #32 is Mrs. Sarah Harty. Both are here in 1928. Sarah is listed as Auty not Harty.

This house was sold to Henson H. & Marjory Brown on Sept. 11, 1934. Fred & Alice Lloyd purchased the property on Nov. 25, 1942. Fred was the superintendent of the Arlington Mills in Lawrence. Dennis A & Mary A Hennessy where the next owners on Sept. 27, 1944.