Themes: architectural, community development.
20 Argyle St. is the official address of this home. The former Edgar house then Bancroft family.

This house is sited on a corner lot as it did on its original location at 333 North Main St. The house was moved twice, first to the Balmoral Condominium site at 18 Balmoral and then to the northwest corner at 20 Argyle and 43 Balmoral Streets. It was renovated as a two family home with 20 Argyle as the official address and #43 Balmoral Street as the second unit address. The house was preserved by William Madison Wood when building his model village for the executives, management, and employees of the American Woolen Company 1919 - 1924.

It was once owned by John Smith of the Smith & Dove Co. who established his Wool Machine Manufacturing plant in Frye Village in the 1820's. He later went into flax to linen thread business in 1835 with his brother Peter Smith and friend John Dove. All three men were immigrants from Brechin, Scotland and would become the wealthiest families in Andover during the 19th century. The property was later acquired by William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Co. in the early 20th century.

William M. Wood's vision of a model community began to materialized after WWI as he began construction of the new Shawsheen Village within the old Frye Village setting. Wood and his architects saved many of the original Frye Village structures, incorporating them into the residential neighborhoods.

Nov. 11, 1921 Andover Townsman – The McNally house which formerly stood on Balmoral St. has been relocated on the extension of Balmoral St. on land originally owned by the town. The Green house is en-route to a location beside the McNally House and is being moved from Haverhill St. The Brown house on Haverhill St. and the Edgar house on Balmoral St. will be relocated in the same vicinity.

Nov. 18, 1921 p8 AT - Mrs. Bennett and family have moved to Stirling St. until the Edgar House on Balmoral St. is relocated (20 Argyle St.)

Dec. 9, 1921 – p8 The extension of Balmoral and York Streets is fast being built up. The houses that are being moved from Haverhill St. and Balmoral Street, two which are already placed.

This section of Shawsheen Village was planned as housing for management. Every home was painted white, with green shutters, window boxes, a variety decorative trellises, underground utilities, an no garages were allowed. Wood built two large parking garages to house the residents automobiles. Deed restrictions on house color, parking and laundry yards were included in every deed.

The property was once the Town Poor Farm or Alms House which is still standing at the southeast end of Argyle St. The property was sold at auction on June 25, 1921 to Hovanes Dagdigian & Vartar Dagdigian for $15,000 and included 13.66 acres. The property was then transferred back to George Dufton, of the Town of Andover, and sold to William M. Wood on July 11, 1921. The town sold the 10 acre Town Farm lot to the American Woolen Co. of Boston at the same time. It came with a stipulation that the current residents at the Town Farm would continue to occupy the building no later than Oct. 1, 1922.

By 1924 Shawsheen Village was nearly completed and was a thriving new community village. Much of the property was held by the American Woolen Co. After William Wood stepped down as president of the company, the new executives quickly moved the headquarters back to Boston. The company then began the process of selling off all the property holdings not directly related to the Woolen Co. production. All property was placed into the Textile Realty Co. of which 34 properties were located in this section of Shawsheen Village.

This home was saved and became 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 rented through the Homestead Association who had offices in the Post Office building on the corner of North Main & Poor Streets.

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 rent the properties. With the Great Depression sales were sluggish and many homes were rented until the economy rebounded.

The first occupants of record to lease the home in 1926 Mrs. Hermine Baillet, widow of Joseph Baillet was the resident at 43 Balmoral. #20 Argyle St is not listed.

This house was sold to Jane Hayes on July 2, 1945. Hayes owned the property for 29 years then selling to Francis J. & Cynthia Dyer and Susan R. Hickey on Dec. 5, 1974