34 Enmore Street

Architectural Description: 

Colonial Revival Cottage style.
Maintains original window boxes and open screen porch, bracket shutters

Historical Narrative: 

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.

One of the first occupants of record to lease the home in 1923 were Ralph & Mary Curtin. Andover Townsman - Sept. 22, 1922 pg. 8 - "Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Curtin and family of Lawrence have moved to 34 Enmore street." Ralph was an overseer at the American Woolen Co. Shawsheen Mill. They were here in 1928.

This house was sold to Thomas C. & Kathleen I. May, Jr. on July 21, 1941. Thomas worked for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in Boston. May owned four years then sold to Raymond J. & Vivian M. Dobbin on Feb. 12, 1945. They owned for fifteen years selling to Robert Paul & Vivian B. Cammett on Apr. 7, 1960.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Maps, 1852, 1872, 1888, 1906, 1926
Andover Street Directories
Andover Townsman
Mills, Mergers and Mansions, by Edward Roddy 1982
See Map plan #704 - American Woolen Company - Sept. 1927
#877 - June 1932 - Textile Realty Company lot #7
#975 - Oct. 29, 1921 - Dufton to AWCo.

Owners;
George C. H. Dufton, wife Susanna - 1921 - 18 acres-
American Woolen Company, Wm. M. Wood Pres. – October 29, 1921 – b. 470 p. 341 – 18 acres
Textile Realty Co., Lionel J. Noah, Pres. A.W.Co. - Dec. 30, 1931 - b. 563 p. 351
Andover Shawsheen Realty Co. - June. 30, 1932 - b. 565 p. 87 - 6th parcel
Thomas C. & Kathleen I. May, Jr. - July 21, 1941 - b. 643 p. 109
Raymond J. & Vivian M. Dobbin - Feb. 12, 1945 - b. 671 p. 428
Robert Paul & Vivian B. Cammett - Apr. 7, 1960 - b. 913 p. 10
David L. Sandra M. Kern - Mar. 11, 1971 - b. 1167 p. 426
Kenneth E. & Alexandra H. Retelle - Nov. 22, 1975 - b. 1272 p. 234
Andover Savings Bank - Nov. 25, 1975 - b. 1272 p. 235 - mtg.
Robert C. & Marie F. Hough - Feb. 28, 1980 - b. 1428 p. 264
Robert C. & Marie F. Hough - Feb. 4, 1983 - b. 1644 p. 163
Michael F. & Rona Galvin - Nov. 10, 1986 - b. 2353 p. 204
Gregory S. & Melissa (Morris) Danisch - Sept. 24, 1991 - b. 3323 p. 39
Martha E. & Kevin S. Cadigan - Jan. 10, 1997 - b. 4682 p. 274
Steven W. & Julie C. Previte - Apr. 21, 2001 b. 6154 p. 273
Keith M. & Megan M. Pietropaolo - May 18, 2006 - b. 10201 p. 272
James W. & Alison L. Troup - May 31, 2012 - b. 12961 p. 151

Inventory Data:

StreetEnmore St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Historic NameMay - Dobbin House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence - mill housing
Construction Date1921 - 1922
SourceERDS, ENRDL, AHS file, njs, style
Architect/BuilderChester A. Patten
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimshingle/wood
Roofasphalt - gable
Major Alterationsasphalt roof shingles replace original slate, replacement windows
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.191 acre
Settingresidential
Map and parcel19-23
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975 - 1977, 8/14/2015

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