Historical significance: This was the site of the Nathan Shattuck homestead which was completely destroyed by fire in October 1906. Nathan Shattuck (1797 - 1866?) was a West Andover farmer. He represented the town in the state legislature in 1834, and the same year married Mary Fiske Abbott. They had eight children, six of whom were daughters. The two youngest, Sarah and Augusta, inherited the family homestead, which they sold to Mary Donovan in 1881.

Mary Donovan was born in Ireland, and was the widow of Timothy Donovan (1828 - ), who had come to Boston in 1848 and then to Lawrence just before the great dam was finished. About 1862 they had moved to the West Parish and lived on Haggett's Pond. It must have been after Timothy's death, that the widow purchased the old Shattuck farm.

In 1889, Albert A. Hardy (1860 - 1942) purchased the farm, then an estate of 68 acres. Albert was born Nov. 6, 1855 in Andover, son of William & Susan Welles (Robinson) Hardy. Albert married on Nov. 22, 1881 to Mary Elizabeth Livingston b. 1851, dau. of Asa W. & Elizabeth Livingston of Tewksbury. They had two children Blanche Jennie b. June 1883 and Albert W. b. Apr. 1887. Mary died in 1890 and Albert married again on April 21, 1891 to Mary E. McKinley b. Dec. 225, 1860 in PEI dau. of Jon & Katherine (McKennan) McKinley. Albert & Mary had two daughters Helen K. b. Nov. 26, 1893 and Annie A. b. Dec. 11, 1897 - d. Jan. 6, 1911. The entire farm complex burned AT October 26, 1906. – p. 4 – Fire Destroys Historic Homestead – Albert A. Hardy homestead & barn – property was a landmark, known as the old Shattuck place. The fire started in the barn 40 ’x 50’, then to house. Neighbors saved all the furniture from the house – Fire Box #52 – 4 miles out.

As a tract of land, without buildings, Hardy sold it to Frances Craig, who may have constructed the present buildings on the site. We know that Hardy remained living at River Rd. the rest of his life with wife Mary. House numbers were not assigned until after WWII. Albert died in 1943 and Mary in 1953. The Hardy family are interred at West Parish Garden Cemetery.

Frances Craig (1870 - 1952), a spinster, ran a small printing business from River Road, and constructed the smallest of the three buildings on the site as a printing shop. The present owners acquired the property after her death in 1952.

Charlotte Helen Abbott reported that what had been known as the Shattuck homestead had in fact been constructed by Lieut. Jonathan Abbott, who occupied it until he died in 1830. "There was at one time a large hall in the house, where dances were held on Election nights and Thanksgiving Days".