Washington Ave. was constructed in 1889 and named on the Centennial of George Washington’s visit to Andover in 1789. Constructed over farm land of Charles O. Cummings, house lots were then sold off to residents and developers. By 1906 eighteen new homes had been built. Interesting to note that five new owners, Tyler, Lewis, Gray, Stiles and Caldwell were House Carpenters and Cummings and Wardwell were developers at each end of the avenue.

Aug. 30, 1889 Andover Townsman p. 4 - The new street, Washington Ave. is progressing rapidly, and from all appearances it is likely to be a good piece of road. The ledge at the Elm Street end had been blasted sufficiently, and the men are now engaged cutting down the ground above the grad and filling in the lower places. Quite a piece stretching from Summer Street is ready for the finishing touches.
October 25, 1889 AT – The new street Washington Ave. is beginning to look like a very good piece of road. The top dressing of red spring gravel is being put on.
Nov. 1, 1889 p.1 AT Commissioner Hayward has finished putting the top coat of Red Spring gravel on Washington Ave. and one sidewalk has been made the entire length.

20 Washington Ave. – 21-94 – 0.404a – 17,600 sq ft –

AT Dec. 11, 1896 – The cellar is underway for a new house on Washington Ave for Charles Tyler, a carpenter employed by Hardy & Cole.
AT Dec. 25, 1896 – Hardy & Cole will build Charles Tyler’s new house on Washington Avenue.
AT Jan. 22, 1897 – A staging at the new house of Charles Tyler on Washington Avenue gave way Tuesday and three men at work fell to the ground. They did not receive injuries other than a severe shaking up.

Charles Tyler was born in Wareham, MA in March 1856, son of George F. & Caroline E. (Blackwell) Tyler. Charles grew up in Wareham and listed his occupation as Nailer. He would become a house carpenter working for Hardy & Cole in Andover. Charles married on June 20, 1889 in Andover to Bessie Blood b. Dec. 1869 in Somerville, MA dau. of George W. & Mary (Rea) Blood. Charles & Bessie had three sons; George Frederick b. June 1890, Archibald Lewis b. May 1893 and Theodore Ellis b. Sept. 26, 1896. When Hardy & Cole closed Charles went to work for the Tyer Rubber Co. The 1920 Valuation lists Tyler’s house $1600, land 17,600 sq. ft. $600 = $2200.

Charles died in 1941 and Bessie placed the house deed in her and son Theodore’s names on Oct. 8, 1942. Bessie died on May 6, 1943. Theodore, graduated from Punchard High School in 1917, was an electrical engineer at Abbot Academy and later Superintendent of the Academy campus. Theo married in 1929 to Edith V. Johnson b. Aug. 16, 1908 dau. of Alfred M. & Julia A. (Benson) Johnson. They had one son Warren Harold b. 1934 who graduated from PHS in 1952 with honors. Theodore sold the property on Aug. 16, 1960 to Carl R. & June M. Fitzgerald ending 64 years of Tyler ownership of the home.