This site was once a large open field extending south down Railroad St. to the former Free Christian Church property at 22 Railroad St. The property once belonged to Nathan Frye, the president of the Marland Mills Co., who lived in his mansion at 166 North Main St. The property was acquired by M. T. Stevens & Sons, Manufacturing Co. of North Andover.

This five acre field was rented to a newly formed Andover Athletic organization called the "Niotus Club" in the 1888. The club built a baseball diamond, tennis courts and a clubhouse. First opening membership to men in town a year later the club invited and encouraged women to join. Tennis was a popular sport with both sexes. The grounds were maintained by the club and tournaments were held weekly on the grounds. The Niotus Club lasted about eight years.

In 1896 M. T. Stevens Co. needed a portion of the field to run a spur track from the B&M rails over to a new coal pocket built behind the carriage barn of the Nathan Frye House. The coal pocket provided easier access for Marland Mills to fuel their boilers. The Niotus Club disbanded and many members joined the Andover Cricket Club who had built an athletic field next to the St. Augustine Cemetery on Lupine Road.

In June the clubhouse was auctioned off. June 26, 1896 Andover Advertiser; Wm. F. Trulan has bought the Niotus Club house. He is having the hillside above his present home and store dug away to make room for the club building, which is to be moved there the last of this week. Mr. Trulan will transfer his store & business to the new quarters. He has a general store, in which about everything of everyday home use is to be found.

July 3, 1896 AA The Niotus Club house was moved Tuesday to its new location in Abbot Village, where it will be used for a store. (This building is 59 Essex St. now a beauty salon)

A portion of the former Niotus field was sold to the Tyer Rubber Co. in May 1910 to build their new plant facility at 30 Railroad St which opened in 1913. The northern end of the field was retained by M. T. Stevens Co. and remained vacant. It was used briefly as a Victory garden for employees of the Marland Mills plant on Stevens St.

On January 23, 1950 Tyer Rubber Co. purchased the open field and it was converted into a parking lot for employees of the the company. In 1926 TRCo. began production of industrial rubber covered rollers. Originally designed for use by paper, textile and leather companies they expanded the facilities as new businesses were switching from wooden roller to the soft rubber rolls in plastics, abrasives and packaging industries.

In 1954 Tyer Rubber Co. built the new 40,000 sq. foot annex plant for the production of larger rollers. "The entire first floor was set aside for roll - making. New specially designed grinders and an overhead crane were installed, enabling the company to build rolls varying in size to a few ounces up to 20 tons and measuring as much as 42" in diameter and 25' in length." The rollers were customized for use from smooth, soft, worms or grooves, or very rough surfaces depending on the use. The upper story was used as a testing section where airplane propeller De-icers were made.

Tyer Rubber Company celebrated their 100th anniversary in 1956. The company would eventually merge in 1971 purchased by Conrub Acquisition Corporation on Dec. 31, 1971 it became known as Converse Rubber Co. Division in Andover in June 1972. Later the company merged with Eltra (Electra) Corp. of NY. and the plant in Andover closed.

The former main plant facility next door was converted into Andover Commons apartments by 1982. The Annex building remained vacant and gutted for several years. The building site was considered by town officials for the new Post Office building site but the Stevens St. site won the bid. In October 1987 New Tyer, Inc. purchased the property and took a mortgage through Rail Road Square, Inc. for $1,700,000. SCAPA Group Inc. of Raleigh, North Carolina then took possession of the property on Oct. 19, 1990.

The building was renovated for a new supermarket space and "Wild Oats Market then Wild Harvest Market became the new tenant. Andover Main Street, LLC purchased the property in Feb. 1997 and held for seven years. The store property was then transferred to Andover Mani Street II, LLC on Sept. 21, 2005, S. R. Weiner Associates, Inc. of Chestnut Hill, MA

Whole Foods then moved into the market in 2005 and continues to occupy the property. The current parking lot is the only vacant remnant of the old Niotus Field.