90 Haverhill Street

Architectural Description: 

Colonial Revival

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.

The 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.

This 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 was Thomas J. Davies a shipper at the American Woolen Co. In 1943 John & Marion Creamer are leasing the home. John is the manager of Standard Brands in Lawrence, MA. Robert Donohue also resides with the Creamer. Robert is listed as a government employee. In 1945 the house was sold to John E. & Marion E. Creamer and Robert F. & Adele W. Donahue on July 5, 1945.

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
#877 - June 1932 - Textile Realty Company lot #
#975 - Oct. 29, 1921 - Dufton to AWCo.
#708 - Nov. 1927 - AWCo.
Court Plan #1726 -E March 1932

Owners;
American Woolen Company, Wm. M. Wood Pres. Dec. 1920
Textile Realty Co., Lionel J. Noah, Pres. A.W.Co. - Dec. 30, 1931 - b. 563 p. 351
T. Edwin Andrew - Andover Shawsheen Realty Co. - June. 30, 1932 - Certificate #1932 b. 13 p. 329
John E. & Marion E. Creamer, Robert F. & Adele W. Donahue - July 5, 1945 - Ctf. # 3002 b. 20 p. 409
John E. & Marion E. Creamer - Ctf. #4888 b. 33 p. 153
Richard G & Florence A. Slade - Mar. 29, 1960 - Ctf. #4920 b. 33 p. 281
Norman P. & Judith A. Merrill - May 1, 1967 - Ctf. #6044 b. 40 p.577
William S. & Wanda L. Webber - Jan. 26, 1976 - Ctf. #7418 b. 50 p. 77
James R. & Charlene L. Manery -
Bernard & Gina Lynch - May 17, 1985 - Ctf. #9709 b. 68 p. 41
Joseph E. & Sandra G. Blinn - Jan. 21, 1993 - Ctf. #11583 b. 86 p. 337
Sandra G. Blinn estate, Eliot B. Gersen, Extr. died - Jan. 31, 2008 -
Sandra G. Blinn estate, Eliot B. Gersen, Extr. - Feb. 13, 2012 - Ctf #1925 b. 13 p. 301
Michela Paone-Stuart = Mar. 9, 2012 - Ctf. #16665

Andover Shawsheen Realty Co - Oct. 30, 1937 - b. 611 p. 177 - parcel 2

Inventory Data:

StreetHaverhill St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Historic NameCreamer - Donahue House
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence - mill housing
Construction Date1921 - 1922
SourceERDS, ENRDL, assessers' rec./style-njs
Architectural StyleColonial Revival
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimcedar shingle/wood
Roofgable - slate
Major Alterationsenclosed side porch, extended front porch, replacement windows
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.150 acre
Settingresidential
Map and parcel18-100
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975 - 1977, 8/23/2015

Map: