Architectural Description:
Colonial Revival
This home remains true to the original exterior design as built in 1922 and has been well maintained. Cedar shingles clad the home, with a banding layer between the first and second story to break the facade mass and add visual interest. A balustrade rail still occupies the front entrance porch roof. The open screened in side porch was a fixture on every home built by Wood has been enclosed for an all season room. The color scheme is still maintained as dictated in the original deeds.
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 Sutherland Street takes it name from the historic seat of the Earls of Sutherland, Dunrobin Castle, a mile to the north of Golspie, Scotland. The current castle was developed out of an old stronghold that was remodeled in modern times by Robert Lorimer.
This 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 1923 were George C. & Sarah W. Dunnells. George was a Police Officer in the Andover Police Department.
This house was sold to William H. & Nancy H. Page on Apr. 1, 1944. William & Nancy owned a year and a half then selling to John C. & Margaret S. Lowe on Oct. 30, 1945.
John b. 1905 was a wool buyer for the American Woolen Co. Margaret b. 1910 a housewife. The Lowes had two children, John C. Jr. and Jennie Lowe. The home continues with the Lowes as owners of record in 2015, now 70 years a stewards of a well maintained home.
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
#708 - Nov. 1927 - AWCo. - lot 15
Land Court Map #1726-E - lot 15
Owners;
Thomas T. Clark, wife Louisa – 1920 – land 4.3 acres
American Woolen Company, Wm. M. Wood Pres. Oct. 2, 1920 – Certificate #992
Textile Realty Co., Lionel J. Noah, Pres. A.W.Co. - Dec. 30, 1931 Ctf - #1925
Andover Shawsheen Realty Co. - June. 30, 1932 Ctf. #1932
Andover Shawsheen Realty Co - Oct. 30, 1937 - b. 611 p. 177 – 16th parcel
William H. & Nancy H. Page - Apr. 1, 1944 - Ctf. #2872
John C. & Margaret S. Lowe - Oct. 30, 1945 - Ctf. #3034
John C. Lowe estate, Margaret S. Lowe heir - Feb. 4, 1991
Margaret S. Lowe estate, John C. Lowe, Jr. Rep. - Dec. 21, 2004
John C. Lowe and Jennie (Lowe) Stewart, heirs - Jan. 16, 2006 - Ctf. #15542
Inventory Data:
Street | Sutherland St |
Place | Shawsheen Village - Frye Village |
Historic District | Shawsheen Village NRH District |
Historic Name | John & Margaret Lowe House |
Present Use | residence |
Original Use | residence - mill housing |
Construction Date | 1921 - 1922 |
Source | ERDS, ENRDL, assessers' rec./style-njs |
Architectural Style | Colonial Revival |
Architect/Builder | Chester A. Patten |
Foundation | stone |
Wall/Trim | cedar shingle/wood |
Roof | gable - slate |
Major Alterations | Enclosed screen porch |
Condition | excellent |
Acreage | 0.149 acre |
Setting | residential |
Map and parcel | 18-75 |
Recorded by | Stack/Mofford, James Batchelder |
Organization | Andover Preservation Commission |
Date entered | 1975 - 1977, 8/26/2015 |