3 Stirling Street

Architectural Description: 

Colonial Revival - Shingle style

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 Stirling Street takes its name from Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, Scotland and is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill a strategic location overlooking the Fourth River. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary Queen of Scots, in 1542

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.

The 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 E. Ritchie a clerk with the American Woolen Co.

This house was sold to Doris M. Manahan on Feb. 11, 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
#708 - Nov. 1927 - AWCo.
Land Court Map #1726-E - Lot 2

Owners;
Isaac Wilson of North Andover - woodland
Isaac Wilson estate; Susan P. (Wilson) Green heir
Issac L. Farnham - Aug. 7, 1880 - b. 80 p. 252 - 14 acre portion
Issac L. Farnham estate, Sarah M. Farnham & Charles H. Farnham heirs
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 11, 1902 - b. 197 p. 367 - 22.4 acre
John B. Warwick - Feb. 12, 1904 - b. 209 p. 131
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 20, 1904 - b. 215 p. 42
Thomas E. Bowler - Sept. 21, 1904 - b. 215 p. 44 mtg deed
Emeric Pariseau - Sept. 21, 1904 - b. 215 p. 46 - 6 acres
Thomas E. Bowler - April 21, 1907 - Certificate # 165 - land court
Thomas T. Clark, wife Louisa A. - June 26, 1907 - Ctf. #166
Thomas E. Bowker -
Thomas T. Clark - June 26, 1907 - lot A - Certificate #116 - 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
Doris M. Manahan - Feb. 11, 1945 - Ctf. #2971
Marion L. Salisbury, wife of Lynus E. - Mar. 6, 1950 - Ctf. #3578
Doris M. Rhodes - Jan. 9, 1952 - Cft. #3802
Hollis A. & Doris R. Smith - Mar. 12, 1952 - Ctf. #3826
Alfred J. & Evelyn Fitzpatrick - Apr. 11, 1957 - Ctf. #4526
Robert A. & Carmelice Ouellette - Mar. 2, 1960 - Ctf. #4908
P. Frederick & Dorothy M. Gridley - July 2, 1963 - Ctf.5415
Jens A. F. & Margaret C. Bode - June 13, 1975 - Ctf. #7299
Margaret C. Bode - June 22, 1978 - Ctf. #8238
Scott A. & Marlene E. Bowan - Dec. 9, 1983 - Ctf. #9328
Gary L. & Patricia W. Weitzman - March 27, 1992 - Ctf. #11312
Thomas K. & Jennifer A. Fitzmorris - Apr. 23, 1993 - Ctf. #11637
Wyman W. & Laura M. Briggs - Aug. 9, 1996 - Ctf. #12473
Yvonne O. Howard - Oct. 31, 2012 - Ctf. #14042

A small triangular parcel was acquired on Dec. 21, 1972 by the Gridley family from Carl. A. Pescosolido - Ctf. #6911

Inventory Data:

StreetStirling St
PlaceShawsheen Village - Frye Village
Historic DistrictShawsheen Village NRH District
Present Useresidence
Original Useresidence - mill housing
Construction Date1921 - 1922
SourceERDS, ENRDL, assessers' rec./style-njs
Architect/BuilderChester A. Patten
Foundationstone
Wall/Trimclapboard/wood/vinyl covered
Roofgable - slate
Major Alterationsvinyl siding and shutters
Conditionexcellent
Acreage0.209 acre
Settingresidential
Map and parcel18-99
Recorded byStack/Mofford, James Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date entered1975 - 1977, 8/29/2015

Map: