Architectural Description:
Colonial Revival - home still maintains original slate roof, cedar shingle siding, a window box, and classical style entrance portico and hood.
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 new Village were named for Castles & Cathedrals in Great Britain. This house is in the Shawsheen Village National Register Historic District, surveyed in 1977 and created in 1979. It was designated a National Register Historic District in 1980 by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The 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, later moved into the Administration Building.
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 1926 were David & Annie F. Archibald. David was an overseer at the Shawsheen Mill of the American Woolen Co.
This house was sold to Chester R. & Elsie S. Blanchard on Dec. 6, 1941. Chester was a tool maker. Blanchard owned of 15 years then selling to James E. & Patricia M. McAuliffe on Jan. 27, 1956.
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
#708 - AWCo. Nov. 1927 -
#877 - June 1932 - Textile Realty Company lot #34
#1365 - Nov. 1841
Owners;
American Woolen Company, Wm. M. Wood Pres.
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 - 10th parcel
Chester R. & Elsie S. Blanchard - Dec. 6, 1941 - b. 647 p. 120
James E. & Patricia M. McAuliffe - Jan. 27, 1956 - b. 828 p. 180
Anne Burke - Aug. 3, 1959 - b. 902 p. 10
Anne Burke estate, Joanne Bickford, Exrtx. - Probate 2003
Scott R. & Tara M. Brink - June 17, 2003 - b. 7920 p. 195
Tyson C. Bertmaring & Gillian McGinn - Aug. 2, 2010 - b. 12129 p. 202
Inventory Data:
Street | Haverhill St |
Place | Shawsheen Village - Frye Village |
Historic District | Shawsheen Village NRH District |
Present Use | residence |
Original Use | residence - mill housing |
Construction Date | 1921 - 1922 |
Source | ERDS, ENRDL, assessers' rec./style-njs |
Architectural Style | Colonial Revival |
Architect/Builder | Gillman |
Foundation | stone |
Wall/Trim | cedar shingle/wood |
Roof | gable - slate |
Major Alterations | replacement windows, former screen porch on west side enclosed for room with porch to rear |
Condition | excellent |
Acreage | 0.269 acre |
Setting | residential |
Map and parcel | 18-16 |
Recorded by | Stack/Mofford, James Batchelder |
Organization | Andover Preservation Commission |
Date entered | 1975 - 1977, 8/22/2015 |