Themes: architectural, community development, education, recreation

Built as a social club for German employees of Craighead & Kintz and the Bradlee Mills at Ballardvale. Named the "Cosmopolitan Singing Society" or Cosmopolitan Club/Society.

Many German workmen came to Ballardvale with their families in the early 1880s to work for Craighead and Kintz Co. who produced oil lamps and fixtures and artistic bronzes. In 1885 they founded a German club and The Club incorporated Feb. 10, 1890. The club sponsored the Cosmopolitan Singing Society, taught a German School on Saturday with classes held every Saturday from 2:30 - 5:30 pm (Americans admitted). Members held an annual clambake on the Shawsheen River every fall. Many members also attended the Ballardvale Methodist Church which held some Sunday services in German.

This property was once owned by the Ballard Vale Machine Shop in 1847 and purchased by the Whipple File & Steel Manufacturing Co. in 1858, which went bankrupt in 1869. Assignees of the company; Edward Page, John W. Beals, Thomas J. Homer of Boston and Thornton K. Lothrup of Milton, MA sold off the holdings at auction. Craighead & Kintz would purchase the manufacturing plant and Stephen Blaney of Peabody, MA purchased six parcels of land along Andover St. and one on River St. on April 20, 1870. This lot was one of Blaney's six parcels.

Blaney's land on the east side of Andover Street extended from Clinton Court to north of this property and included the present day Ballardvale Playground. Blaney sold to Henry Isler on Feb. 20, 1888 a 6000 sq. ft. lot 60' wide and 100' feet deep. Isler would then take a mortgage through the Andover Savings Bank on July 2, 1888. Hardy & Cole, Andover builders were contracted to build the clubhouse. The deed was placed with the Cosmopolitan Singing Society on July 24, 1890 b. 107 p. 146. The assignees in the mortgage were Carl Hofmann and Jacob Klisserath. Klisserath later transferred his share to Hoffmann.

Craighead & Kintz Company was completely destroyed by fire in 1898. It appears that many members sought employment elsewhere. On June 3, 1899 the Andover Savings Bank took possession of the Isler loan on the property. The clubhouse and land were sold at auction on June 6th 1899 to George W. Foster for $1030. The deed was then transferred to Carl Hofmann on Sept. 21, 1899.

Carl Hofmann died on January 12, 1907 and one heir to his estate was his mother Johanna Rosina Hofmann. Johanna was living in Klotscha, Saxony Germany at the time of his death. She would quit claim her deed share to Emil K. Hofmann (Hoffman), wife Clara C. on May 25, 1907. Emil Hofmann served as the club president.

Patrick Joseph Murnane purchased the property from Hofmann on Nov. 19, 1909 and then converted the building into a residence. Murnane would then purchased two additional adjoining lots in 1922 and 1932 from Edward A. Blaney heir of Stephen Blaney. Descendants of Emil Hoffman still live in this former club house (1996). Many of the men in the Murnane family were firemen in town and related to the Hoffman family.

Heirs of Patrick Joseph Murnane: Eugene, Charles and John J. Murnane then sold the property to John J. Munane on Dec. 27, 1951. In 1996 the Murnane family sub-divided the property and built a new home at 152 Andover St. The former clubhouse was sold to Jeffrey & Colleen Fuller on September 28, 2009. Fuller enlarge the home with and ell and attached garage. Architect on the project was Joanna Reck.