This site once held the Abbott Village Hall, a large barn like structure with a cupola on the roof. From period photos of the Village area one can see that the building stood on a stone and brick foundation basement which may have also housed a smaller hall and restrooms. The function hall was located on the second floor and was used by social clubs for a variety of events in Abbott Village. The hall was built in 1889.

AT - Aug. 30,1889 Abbott Village – Our New Hall is about ready for the painters. When finished and ready of occupancy, it will be greatly appreciated by the Village people. Oct. 8,1889 AV – The presentation of the cup will be made to the Andovers (tomorrow) Saturday evening in the new Hall building at 7:45pm [Cricket team was league champions]
AT - Nov. 8, 1890 p. 8. AV – The new hall is receiving a coat of paint, which materially brightens the looks of the place. The inside work is progressing slowly, but it will be finished very soon.

The hall served the Village until Smith & Dove closed in 1927-28.
The Village Hall was owned by Smith and Dove Manufacturing Co. and may have been a barn, moved here and converted into a meeting hall for the operatives and residents of the village to use. Many meetings of the sports clubs were held in the hall. They would also hold "Smokers" as fund raising events for their clubs. Boxing matches also occurred here.

Abbott Village was established early in the 1800's with the adequate source of water to power the mills. Abel & Paschal Abbott moved their wool mill operation here from North Parish about 1813 and had a successful business until about 1838 when the market turned. The mill buildings were sold to Smith & Dove Manufacturing Co. in 1843. The flax to linen thread company was established in Frye Village in 1835 (Shawsheen Village) and slowly relocated up river to Abbott Village location. By 1894 all operations in Frye Village had ceased. 1843 - 1928

Smith & Dove recognized the need for operative housing and acquired several homes in the immediate area. They also built quality housing for their workforce at 62-84 Essex St. and the double homes on Brechin Terrace. Every home on Baker Lane was once owned by Smith & Dove.

The company reorganized and incorporated in 1864 and again in 1912 bringing all their properties together into one deed. Most of their mill property in Frye Village was sold off.

Smith & Dove supplied their workers with a Village Hall for community gatherings, and built “Hillside” at 31 Shawsheen Rd. for single women workers; It provided childcare service, bowling alleys, laundry and large dining room used for meetings and parities.

S & D Co. also bought the old Cricket Field on Lupine Rd. for the company soccer, football and baseball teams and sponsored many field day outings for their employees.

In 1927 the Smith & Dove Co. was sold to the Ludlow Co. The housing real estate was placed in the Smith & Dove Tenements, Inc. that year, changing the name to Andover Homes, Inc. that were then sold off into private hands. The company operations were moved to Ludlow, MA and the mill closed in 1928.

A map drawn out by John Franklin, Civil Engineer in 1927 (#676) for the Smith and Dove Manufacturing Co. lists and numbers every property owned in Abbott Village by the company. The Village Hall is on this site at that time but deeds just after referring to the Village Hall formerly on the site. We have yet to find when the building came down and how, razed or fire, but between 1927-1932.

The holdings were sold off beginning in 1927. This property sold by the Andover Homes, Inc., went to Virgin D. Harrington on June 7, 1932. Harrington then sold the property to Titus and Alice Corkum of Cambridge MA in July 19, 1932. They also purchased 5 Baker Lane and the Depot House at the intersection of Essex and Pearson St. at that time. Corkum held the property until 1940 and it is likely that he built the small brick building fronting on Essex St.

In August 1940 Corkum sold two parcels of land to Nellie May Palmer, wife of Calvin Palmer. The sale included this parcel and the Depot House lot with buildings.

Palmer held the property for five years selling to Edward & Margaret M. O' Hagan in January 1940. The O' Hagans owned and lived in their home at 1 - 3 Baker Lane.
Ed was a school fireman at the time of purchase. The deed states the property "as sub-divided" with a right-of-way to the property to the north. The plan map #2054 A done for O' Hagans in 1949 created the lot for the auto shop on the site today. On lot B shows a chicken coop and hen yard near the north boundary.

Phillip I. Gaudet purchased the property in May 1949 and held until 1963. Phillip b. 1902 and wife Bernadette b. 1905 lived at 17 Cuba St. Philip was listed as a general contractor in 1962 and it was Gaudet who built this small brick building as an office building for his business.

Gaudet sold to Armond DeRoche of Methuen on Jan. 3, 1963. Armond had the building for 22 years before selling to Robert (Bob) Selvitelli of Andover and Fred P. Kiely of Melrose in July 25, 1985. They opened "Andover Auto and Truck Services". Selvitelli enjoyed an excellent reputation for quality work and did a good business at this location. The property was placed in the Larchmont Realty Trust in 1985 with Selvitelli & Kiely trustee at that time. Bob and his wife Patricia "Pat", who was the office manager, retired in 2013 and sold their business after 28 years.

The Automobile repair business is now under the name of "Henry's Auto Shop" listed under 85 Essex Street LLC since Feb. 28, 2013. Henry's Auto moved to this location from the former filling station on Route 125 near the Salem Street intersection.