53-55 Park Street

Architectural Description: 

There were two houses on this property, the house at 53-55 was a two story, two family house, with double bay windows on first and second floors flanking center entrances. The second home was at #57, a single family residence occupied by the Nuckley family from 1906-1940. The Nuckey's used the two family as rental income property.

Historical Narrative: 

Park Street was constructed in 1873 and development along the street began immediately. No image of this two family home has yet to be found. The third building up from Bartlet St. corner in the aerial photo.

This empty field was once owned by Hannah W. Foster, wife of Joseph W. Foster in 1883. Hannah sold off parcels for development and Thomas Howell purchased this parcel on May 19, 1883. Howell built the brick Howell Block at 10-16 Park St. He owned several lots on Park St. This house does not appear on the 1884 map of Andover.

Thomas Howell transferred the property to his wife Rhoda via S. E. Walker – June 23, 1895 – b. 149 p. 131-133 – 3rd parcel. It remained in Howell ownership another ten year then was sold to Nathaniel S. French and Walter F. French on May 9, 1905.

Lillian W. Murray purchased the home on Oct. 12, 1908 then sold a few weeks later to Frank J. Nuckley on Nov. 9, 1908. The deed was not recorded until Jan. 10,1919. The property remained with the Nuckley family for 32 years.

Thomas Francis "Frank" Nuckley was b. Aug. 9, 1859 in Middleton, MA, oldest child of John Francis & Bridget Delia (Hurney) Nuckley, both Irish immigrants. Frank, as his was known by, married Helen "Nellie" E. Keefe b. June 10, 1860, Andover, dau. of Dennis & Margaret (Doherty) Keefe. They had one son Francis John Nuckley b. June 23, 1892 in Lynn, MA. Nellie died on Dec. 24, 1900. Frank later went into business with his youngest brother Joseph Hurney Nuckley b. Mar. 29, 1874 in Andover. MA. Joseph married on July 21, 1900 to Estella Margaret Nickerson, b. Nov. 20, 1870. They had no issue.

The Nuckleys were the owners of the Peoples Ice Company. The 1920 Valuation lists T. Frank Nuckley at 57 Park St. house 53, 55 Park St. $1800., barn & shed 55 Park St. $1000., house 57 Park St. $900. - 16,000 sq. ft. land 53, 55, 57 Park St. $1600. land 2 ice houses Pomp's Pond $1600, 3/4 acre on River St. Ballardvale - $75. Peoples Ice Co. (T. F. Nuckley) 2 ice-houses at Pomp's Pond - $2000. The Nuckley's rented 53-55 Park and lived in 57 Park St.

In 1906 The People's Ice Company was formed by Joseph H. Nuckley and T. Frank Nuckley as owners and managers. In 1899 Joseph Nuckley started an ice business in Ballardvale with one horse and a wagon. He acquired the Hayward ice houses in Ballardvale. In 1901 his brother-in-law William Haggerty became a partner. His brother T. Frank Nuckley bought out Haggerty's interest and the Andover Ice Company was formed.

In 1905 the brothers were bought out by Brooks F. Holt but the following year they returned the the ice business and formed the Peoples Ice Co. In 1914 they merged with B. F. Holt and until 1926 supplied the residents of Andover with ice. In hot weather of the summer, two deliveries were sometimes made and no emergency call, regardless of the time was every denied. As the company grew, it required as many as 24 horses for deliveries. In 1919 they purchased trucks to transport ice from the ice houses up into town.
At the time of their retirement in 1926, they had seven horses, three wagons, six trucks and employed 30 men. During their ownership they owned 131 horses, 50 of which dying in service. Several to which they were especially attached to were kept and set out to pasture.

The ice houses were located at Pomp's Pond, Hussey's Pond on Iceland Rd., and Ballardvale on River St. 10,000 tons of ice were cut yearly in Andover. Ice was also shipped by train in carloads from Milton & Brookline, NH. When demand was at its highest, it might require a carload a day. On October 1,1926 the Nuckleys sold the business to the Metropolitan Ice. Co. It included the all the equipment and the ice houses at Pomp's and Hussey's ponds, except the Park Street property which the Nuckey's retained until 1940.

Frank Nuckley died on Dec. 31, 1927 and his only heir, son Francis "Frank" Nuckley of Lynn inherits. He sells to his Uncle Joseph on Apr. 26, 1928. The property was transferred over to Estelle Nuckley on June 14, 1939. Joseph died on June 30, 1939. The Nuckley family are interred at St. Augustine's Cemetery.

On May 1, 1940 James Heifitz purchased the property. The 1943 directory lists the property as vacant at #53 & #55 as vacant. but 57 occupied by Charles W. Davis, a bartender at the Town Grill in the Musgrove building. Clark Motors Co., Inc.acquired the property on Oct. 29, 1954. The houses was later razed for additional parking for the car dealership.

Bibliography/References: 

Essex County Registry Deeds, Salem, MA
Essex Northern Registry Deeds, Lawrence, MA
Andover Townsman - Jan. 28, 1910 - Andover Ice Co.
Andover Townsman - October 1926 - Peoples Ice Co. Sold
53 – 55 Park Street – Parcel 3 lot 3 – 81’ on Park St.

Owners;
Hannah W. Foster, wife of Joseph W. - 1883
Thomas Howell - May 19, 1883 - b. 72 p. 28
S. E. Walker – June 23, 1895 – b. 149 p. 133 – 3rd parcel
Rhoda A. Howell – June 23, 1895 – b. 149 p. 131 – 3rd parcel
Nathaniel S. French, Walter F. French – May 9, 1905 – b. 220 p. 54
Lillian W. Murray – Oct. 12, 1908 – b. 265 p. 332
Frank J. Nuckley – Nov. 9, 1908 rec. 1/10/1919 – b. 394 p. 322
Thomas Frank Nuckley – Oct. 6, 1919 rec. 7/29/1920 – b. 428 p. 97
Thomas Frank Nuckley estate, d. 31 Dec. 1927, heir, Francis John Nuckley – Probate #160,158
Joseph H. Nuckley - Apr. 26, 1928 – b. 539 p. 368
James E. Downs – June 14, 1939 – b. 623 p. 522
Estelle M. Nuckley - June 14, 1939 – b. 623 p. 523 – 1st parcel
James Heifitz – May 1, 1940 – b. 630 p. 84
Clark Motors Co., Inc. – Oct. 29, 1954 – b. 800 p. 419
Clark Motor Co. Inc. – Barenboin & Leoff – Oct. 29, 1954 – Ctf. #4115
Daniel Rothenberg of Newton – Nov. 17, 1964 – Ctf. 5615
Daniel Rothenberg of Newton – Nov. 17, 1964 – b. 1022 p. 19 – (43-45 Park St)
Purity Realty Trust, Leo Kahn & Albert Kahn Tr. – July 6, 1965 – b. 1037 p. 95
Mercado Realty Trust, Leo Kahn – Feb. 24, 1971 –
Carlos M. Barcelos – Jan. 24, 1983 – b. 1641 p. 25 – Ctf. #5719 lot #1
Bartlett Realty Trust, Robert A. Finlayson – Jan. 26, 1983 – b. 1641 p. 33 – Ctf. #9125
Inhabitants of Town of Andover – Feb. 1, 1984 – Ctf. 9363 - $950,000

Inventory Data:

StreetPark St
PlaceAndover Center District
Historic DistrictNot Applicable
Historic NameHowell - Nuckley House - Peoples Ice Company
Present UseMunicipal Parking lot
Original Useresidence - two family
Construction Date1885 - 1890
SourceECRDS, ENRDL, style-njs
Architectural StyleOther
Foundationstone/granite/brick
Wall/Trimclapboards/wood
Roofasphalt - gable
Conditionrazed
Demolition Details1950's
Settingresidential/commercial
Map and parcel39-101
Recorded byJames S. Batchelder
OrganizationAndover Preservation Commission
Date enteredJune 19, 2017

Images: 

Map: