Fletcher Street was originally built with 14 homes, 10 were single family residences and 4 were double houses. With the construction of Route 495 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts took every property by eminent domain on Dec. 29, 1960. Five homes on Binney St. were also lost. By 1963 Fletcher Street no longer existed. Some homes were moved to new locations but the majority was demolished. This house was moved to Kenilworth Street in 1962.

One of the goals of the Andover Preservation Commission is to identify historic places and sites. We re-list Fletcher St. as it was once a historic part of the Shawsheen Village development. We also honor the families that made their homes on Fletcher St. and their contribution to the community.

The homes were built as part of the Shawsheen Village development from 1918-1924 by William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Company. With the construction of the Shawsheen Mill housing was necessary for operatives employed in the mill. 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, then 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, window boxes all added the “icing on the cake, of the original designs. Mr. Wood also incorporated two family duplexes in every section of the new Village.
The properties came with deed restrictions. No stores, factories, or other buildings of any business nature shall be erected. only professional, doctor, dentist or other professional occupations,…No shed, hen houses or out buildings, except a one or two stall garage, which shall have a pitched roof and be of the same general architectural pattern & material, and of the same color, as the building on said premises…have a cement, macadam, asphalt or crushed stone driveway. No single house erected less than$3500 and no double houses less than $5000. All buildings shall be kept painted white, buff or gray, all with the same setback from the street.

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 on April 1, 1924 was John L. & Mary Wilkinson. John was an overseer at the AWCo. Woolen Mills. Their son Clarence C. E. age 22 was a Pin Setter in the mill. Arthur & Hilda Lewis are listed from 1928 – 1936. Arthur is a mill operative.

On Oct. 23, 1936, the home at 10 Fletcher St was purchased by Frederick B. & Evelyn H. Cole. The 1937 Directory also lists his parents Edward C. & Lillian (French) Cole retired foreman at Tyer Rubber Co. and his brother James N. Cole, a caretaker. Frederick Boyd Cole was born on April 5, 1902, in Andover. Fred was a sports reporter for the Lawrence Eagle Tribune and later Editor. Evelyn had a dressmakers shop. They had one son Frederick B. Jr. born in 1929. The Coles owned for twenty years then sold to Mario & Veronica Giannini on Feb. 23, 1956.

Mario Giannini then secured a 20 year mortgage through the Prince Macaroni Manf. Co. for $10,000. It later was then transferred to the Union National Bank. Mario b. 1923 was an engineer. The property was taken by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on Dec. 29, 1960. (b. 929 p. 334 parcels 9-79.) See map #4205 for path route of 495 and all homes taken for construction. In 1961 the Mario & Veronica continue to occupy the home.
This home was rescued by Donald I. Richmond and moved to 3 Kenilworth St. in 1962. The moved house was sold to Joseph C. & Cynthia L. Tardif on Sept. 17, 1965 the first residents at the new location.