The site of the current town Municipal Parking lot of 1.5 acres was once occupied by four separate businesses fronting on Park Street. All were built in the 1870s after Park Street was constructed in 1873. Prior to development this area was an open field. A portion was owned by Sarah & Samuel Bean, who owned the Elm House Hotel and Stables on Elm Square, now occupied by the Musgrove Building, Elm Block and Andover Spa buildings.

Sarah G. Bean sold this lot of land to James H. Smith on March 14, 1876. The parcel contained about half and acre with 186' fronting on Park St. There is no mention of Bartlet St. in 1876 deed. To create the street an 18 ft. wide road would cut through his lot creating two separate parcels. The NE corner parcel measured 69.33' on Park St. x 161.58’ on Bartlet St. up to Rogers Brook and contained 10,537 sq. feet. Smith's other lot was 76.83' on Park x. 75.83' on Bartlet on the opposite NW corner lot on Park, Bartlet and Barnard Streets.

John H. Smith was born in 1819 in Nova Scotia, Canada, son of Caleb & Ann Smith. A blacksmith, he had his shop on Pearson St. near the corner of North Main St. He married on Dec. 23, 1847 to Charlotte E. Cornell, b. 1825 daughter of James & Mary Cornell. The 1880 Census list a daughter Fanny C. age 11 years. They reside on Elm Street. Smith retired and moved to New Jersey about 1893. James died on April 18, 1895 and is interred at Spring Grove Cemetery. His wife Charlotte died in 1910.

April 19, 1895 AT p4 – Sudden Death of James H. Smith at Vineland, NJ. .... Up to within about two years, which have been spent in Vineland, NJ, Mr. Smith was a familiar figure on our streets. For years he had lived the life on a good, honest, Andover citizen, honored and respected by the community in general.
Mr. Smith came to Andover when quite a young man and grew up with the town. He was a blacksmith by trade and in his early days here conducted a shop on Pearson Street, and later carried on the same business successfully in his shop on Park Street, which afterwards sold to John W. Faulkner and is now owned by T. P. Harriman. After this and up to the time of his death, he had no special business but lived the quiet, conservative life of a well-to-do man. He was not what would be termed a public man, holding no town office, that we know of, except that of street commissioner. He was, however, deeply interested in all town affairs and was a constant attendant at its meetings. Since leaving town he has still held his interest in it, and through the local paper and other channels, kept himself well informed in regard to its doings. Mr. Smith leaves a widow, who was the sister of the late John Cornell of this town. – [Funeral Apr. 26.]

James H. Smith estate was then held by Charles S. Hotchkiss, Genevieve S. Hotchkiss , Annie L.Hotchkiss, Thomas F. Hotchkiss & Augusta M. Sperry
for 22 years. The Smith sold this lot to Anderson & Bowman on November 3, 1917.
May 20, 1887 AA p2 – Two young men known in Andover, John Anderson and Charles Bowman, have formed a partnership, and purchased the blacksmith business and good will of James H. Cochrane, who has done business for many years on Punchard Avenue (#5). They are both competent workmen, the former has been employed both by Mr. John Faulkner, and later by Mr. Harriman; the junior member served his apprenticeship under Mr. Cochrane. See “ad”
“ANDERSON & BOWMAN” - Successors to James H. Cochrane – Blacksmithing, Horse Shoeing and Jobbing done with promptness and dispatch. Particular attention paid to the treatment of interfering and over-reaching horses. Punchard Ave. Andover Mass.”

May 4, 1888 AT Anderson & Bowman have already out-grown the accommodations of their shop on Punchard Ave. and this week has moved into the old stand of A. R. Frame on Park St. Here they have increased faculties not only for their shoeing, but for general jobbing and carriage work

May 16, 1890 AT pg. 4 - B. B. Tuttle has purchased of L. A. Belknap a part of the Old Catholic Church building and it has been moved by Wilson to land next to the blacksmith shop of Anderson and Bowman on Bartlet St. He will use it for a stable.

June 4, 1897 p1 AT – John Anderson of the firm Anderson & Bowman, will erect a house for himself on Cuba St. Hardy & Cole have the contract to build it.

Nov. 3, 1899 AT p1 Last Sat. afternoon the selectmen settled up damages claimed by the James H. Smith estate caused by the building of Barnard Street. The amount of the estate taken for this purpose was 1241 square feet of land and the town has paid $620.50 to settle the claim.

Feb. 17, 1922 AT - Alexander Valentine – Cabinet maker – Furniture Repaired, Polished and Upholstered – Workshop over Anderson & Bowman Blacksmith – Park St.
Anderson & Bowman retired on January 1, 1927.

Jan. 1, 1927 - AT - Anderson and Bowman retire from business

Nov. 4, 1927 – AT pg. 1 Passing of Charles Bowman – Selectman Died while Serving Sixth Term of Office. Retired from Business on January 1. Fine Tribute Paid at Service Held in Free Church.
Charles Bowman, aged 65 years, and for fourteen years a member of the Board of Selectmen, died at his home, 66 Park St. Sunday morning, after a long illness. Mr. Bowman was born in Andover in 1862. .. Thirty five years ago married Miss Mary Leary also of Andover.
A blacksmith by trade, he first served an apprenticeship with John Cochrane at the old shop on Punchard avenue where he worked for many years. After the interval when he was employed in Hyde Park and Haverhill, he returned to the Cochrane Shop as one of the joint proprietors in 1887. The following year
in partnership with the friend of his boyhood, John Anderson, he went into business at the shop at the corner of Bartlet street and Punchard avenue, an arrangement that continued until January first of this year when the business was sold and both men retired.
Mr. Bowman was a member of the Andover club and Lincoln lodge, A. O. U. W., and was at the time of his death serving the three year term as selectman to which he was elected last March.
He is survived by his wife Mary; a son Charles W.; a daughter Belle, a brother, William, and two sisters,Mrs. Belle Scott and Jennie Bowman.

John Anderson died June 21, 1940. The property was held by the heirs of both families, Mary M. Bowman, Mina H. Mitchell & Burtt M. Anderson. On Nov. 22, 1940 the property boundaries were settled in Land Court and then sold to Irving G. & Esther J. Clark on Aug. 20, 1945. Clark owned Clark Motors, Inc. It was during this ownership that the old blacksmith shop was razed and a new concrete block, one story garage and show room was constructed on the site.

Robert G. & Phyllis Barenboin & Irving & Shirley Leoff the purchased the lot and business on Mar. 15, 1951.