156 Elm Street – The Andover Cricket Club House
Built April – May 1901, moved to Elm Street April 1908

The house lot at 156 Elm Street was once part of a 31 acre lot known as the Andover Town Pasture. The pasture was once owned by businessman John H. Flint whose home was located on 2 Elm Square. Flint sold the pasture to Menzie Christopher Andrews long associated with the Andover – Wilmington and the Boston & Maine Rail Roads. Christopher, as he was known, lived at 71 Main Street. The pasture and farm was used as a source for hay, grazing animals and firewood. Patrick J. Hannon, a tailor by trade, owned a well-established men’s clothing store at 9-11 Main Street in 1895. Hannon purchased the 31 acre parcel from Andrews in October 1895. This farm (in 1900), began at 170 Elm and extended west to 150 Elm Street. The 1900 Valuation for Patrick J. Hannon holdings in the Center District was $26,700. Patrick lived at 12 Florence St. , but sold off a few house lots of his land in 1919 and 1920.

This house was originally built as a clubhouse for the Andover Cricket Club who leased a large field on Lupine Road west of the railroad tracks behind what is now the Electric Co, building. The clubhouse was built in 1901 to replace one that was destroyed by fire on July 4, 1900. The clubhouse served as the team meeting place for seven years before it was lost by breech of contract. The building was purchased by Paul Hannon in Oct. 1907 and later moved to this site in the spring of 1908. It was converted into a home by Hannon and continues as such.

Oct. 4, 1907 AT - pg.1 The Cricket Club House was sold last Saturday by Auctioneer Cole for breach of contract. The house was purchased by P. J. Hannon and will be moved to his farm on Elm Street.
April 10, 1908 AT - The Cricket Club house recently purchased at public auction by Patrick J. Hannon was removed from the club grounds this week to Mr. Hannon’s farm on Elm Street.

March 29, 1901 Andover Townsman - New Officers of Cricket Club
At a meeting of the Andover Cricket Club held Monday evening, the report regarding the new club house was accepted. The building will be erected on an elevation back of the site of the old structure, which was burned last Fourth of July, and will be one of the finest club houses in the State owned by a cricket club.
The members of the club are requested to be on the grounds Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock, to work on the surroundings of the club house.
In order to increase the membership of the club it is expected that two croquet greens will be laid out and a game of guoits will also be introduced. Should there be a demand for a bowling green is also a possibility. It is the intention to make the club popular and healthful.

May 31, 1901 Andover Townsman pg. 4 & 5
NEW CLUB HOUSE – Andover Cricket Club Held Successful Opening Yesterday - Notwithstanding the unfavorable weather conditions yesterday, the opening of the new Andover Cricket club house was an unqualified success, and the verdict of all was that the new house was splendid. The committee certainly showed good judgment in locating the house on the hill where a fine view of the river and woods from the back of the house and the crease from the front may be obtained. It is the prettiest little house in town and is built in beach style.

On the first floor is a reception room, 18 x 30 in dimension, with an ornamental stairway leading to the upper story from the center of the room. Half way up is a landing from which the stairs branch in two ways to the upper story.

Upstairs, the large room will be used by members for a dressing room and for meetings. On the left is the ladies’ room with bowl and toilet. On the right, the visitor’s room, with bowl and toilet. The rooms are lighted by dormer windows in the front, which add to the attractiveness of the house. The stairways and interior finish is hard pine, except overhead and the beams which are planed and will later be stained green.

A large covered piazza, ten feet in width, runs the length of the front part, from which an excellent view of the games may be obtained. Green and white will be the colors used on the exterior of the house. Hardy and Cole did the carpenter work in good style.

Arrangements have been made where-by the water supply is obtained from a spring by means of an Ericsson hot air engine, which will force the water into an 818 gallon tank on the hill. The pump was installed by George Saunders, who also did the plumbing, works very smoothly and is capable of pumping 300 gallons an hour. It is way ahead of the old style windmill for this particular place.

It is the intention of the club committee to have the grounds in front of the club house graded and a walk put in, so that, in the course of the summer, the location will be one of the prettiest and most attractive in town, and the house the best cricket club house in the state.

The original cost to build was expected to be $700 but the final tally was $1100. Work was begun by Andover builders Hardy and Cole on the Cricket club house the week of the Minstrel show in April 1901.

Researched by James S. Batchelder - Andover Historical Society, Andover Preservation Commission, August 2012