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. Most of the streets in the new Village were named for Castles & Cathedrals in Great Britain. Binney Street however was named for Henry P. Binney of Canton, MA, a banker and agent trustee of the American Woolen Company. Binney was hired in 1909 to purchase land in both Lawrence and Andover for future expansion of the American Woolen Co. William M. Wood was President of the company at that time. Binney then turned all the deeds over to the AWCo in December 1920. This land was once owned by Sylvester P. Smith (49 Union St) who had plans for a housing development. A 1901 map of Frye Village clearly shows the locations of Shepley & Binney Streets, but named Agawam and Merrick Streets respectively, both connected at the east end by Madison St. which was never built. Old deeds reference both earlier names.

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 with offices in the Post Office building in Shawsheen Square, later moved into the Administration Building.

Each home incorporated 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 and 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. The AWCo. 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 were Martin & Delia Rondeau at #1. Martin was a section hand at the Shawsheen Mill. and Albert E. & Honora Smart at #3. Albert was employed by the Ports of New York. Imported goods, such as wool from Australia, to the American Woolen Co. He is also listed as a Mill operative.

This house was sold to David J. & Rita L. Lancaster on Sept. 2, 1937. David b. 1907 was a printer in the composition room of the Eagle Tribune in Lawrence. Rita b. 1906 a housewife. They lived at #3 Binney.

In 1943 Samuel & Laura Ashton were leasing #1. Samuel was a textile worker at the Shawsheen Mill. With the death of David Lancaster his estate was inherited by his wife Rita L. and children James D. Lancaster, Jane F. Carrigg and Anne T Deniccio. After 44 years of ownershi the property was sold to
Stephen B. Morrison on Sept. 15, 1981.

The two family home was converted to condominiums in 1987.

Binney Street was originally built with eleven homes two of which were duplexes. With the construction of Route 495 in 1961-62 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts took four properties by eminent domain on the south side of Binney St. The 14 homes on Fletcher St. to the south of Binney were completely obliterated for construction and the street no longer existed in 1963. Some homes were moved to new locations but the majority were demolished.