89 Main Street

Architectural Description: 

Queen Anne

Historical Narrative: 

This impressive Queen Anne style home was built for Dr. Cyrus W. Scott a physician and surgeon in town. The property was once the land of Amos Blanchard in 1818 who built his home at 97 Main Street and is now the home of the Andover Historical Society.

The lot was sold to Cyrus Scott for $3500 by the heirs of the Edward Taylor estate, of 97 Main St., on November 17, 1894. The house was probably built the following spring of 1895. The home was used as the Scott residence and his offices for his practice. Dr. Scott was married to Lillian M. Scott and they had at least one child, a son named George W. who was listed as a student from 1904 - 1913 and who moved to Utica, NY in 1918.

Dr. Scott retired and leased the house for two years, with an option to buy, to Harriet A. Wheeler on May 17, 1923 for $1392. per year. The asking price on the property was $18,000. Dr. Scott sells the property to William T. Ledwell of Chicago, IL on Oct. 24, 1924. Scott reserves the right for Harriet A. Wheeler to occupy the home until May 1, 1925. Scott also holds the mortgage to Mr. Ledwell for $15,000. In August 1932 Dr. Scott, now living in Florida, assigns the mortgage to the Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Co.

In the midst of the Great Depression William Ledwell was unable to meet the commitment on the loan and the property was foreclosed on in April 1936.
On May 2, 1936 Dr. Nathaniel & Anna Marie Stowers purchase the property and Dr. Stowers, a dentist, moves over from across the street where he had his practice at 84 Main Street from 1930 – 1936. Dr. Stowers died in 1952? intestate and the property deed is conveyed to his wife Anna M Stowers on November 14, 1952.

Anna Stowers sold to C. Lincoln & E. Janice Giles on August 29, 1961. Lincoln Giles was an architect and developer responsible for converting several properties in town to multi-use income buildings for businesses and rental for residents. Today we would consider his approach as adaptive reuse with a contemporary Colonial Revival style. Giles combined the former Scott home with the adjoining Hulme property at #93 to create the “Old Andover Village” shopping complex in 1963. The main bodies of the two houses were incorporated into the new complex. Several exterior and interior features were included in the store designs and second floor apartments. The former formal Scott entrance was moved to the north side of the house to become the entrance to the former Yankee Lady Dress shop. The Scott carriage barn to rear of the property is now the home of the Andover Book Store, the only tenant to occupy this space since the conversion. (The Book store moved in 2017 across the street to 72 Main St.) The roof lines are still visible above the street façade as are original chimneys and side walls as you stroll through the center courtyard. The deed transfers of both properties at #93 & # 89, to C. Lincoln Giles occurred on the same day.

Bibliography/References: 

Northern Essex Registry of Deeds, Lawrence MA.
Essex Registry of Deeds, Salem, MA
Andover Historical Society Archives
Andover Resident Street Directories
Andover Evaluation Reports; 1850, 1860, 1870, 1900, 1910, 1920.
Andover Town Maps, 1852, 1855, 1872, 1888, 1896 Sanborn Map, 1906.
Andover Advertiser, Andover Townsman, Lawrence Eagle Tribune newspapers.
Andover Theological Seminary General Catalog 1808-1908
Historical Manual of South Church Andover – 1859
Historical Sketches of Andover 1880

Owners;
Amos Blanchard land - 1818
Edward Taylor land - 1849
Edward Taylor Estate - 1893
Oliver B. Taylor - Executor - June 12, 1893
Cyrus W. Scott - Nov. 17, 1894 - b. 139 p. 257 lot of land
Harriet A. Wheeler - May 17, 1923 - b. 477 p. 102 - lease two years
William T. Ledwell - Oct. 23, 1924 - b. 505 p. 154
Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Co. - Aug. 15, 1932 - b. 597 p. 76 mortgage
Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Co. - Apr. 11, 1936 - b. 598 p. 10 possession
Nathaniel & Anna Marie Stowers - May 2, 1936 - b. 598 p. 12
Anna Marie Stowers Estate - Nov. 14, 1952 – intestate N. Stowers
C. Lincoln & E. Janice Giles - Aug. 29, 1961 - b. 943 p. 171
Phillip Strome – C.L. & J. E. Giles - June 30, 1971 - Receiver
Peter Onanian - June 30, 1971 - b. 1174 p. 144
OAV Realty Trust – Peter Onanian - Mar. 31, 1995 - b. 4233 p. 129

Inventory Data:

StreetMain St
PlaceAndover Center
Historic DistrictMain/Locke Streets NRH District
Historic NameCyrus W. Scott House
Present UseRetail Store space
Original Useresidence
Construction Date1895
SourceERDS, NERDL, style,
Architectural StyleOther
Foundationstone & granite
Wall/TrimWood clapboard
Roofasphalt/hip
Outbuildings / Secondary StructuresCarriage barn
Major Alterations1962 - 1963 Conversion to commercial and retail space.
Conditionaltered into retail space
Acreage1.18 acres
Settingcommercial/business
Map and parcel55-125
Recorded byJames S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered2010, 12/14/2018

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