USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Streets of Andover, 1954 > Part 1
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Andover, Massachusetts -- Streets VERTICAL .ILL Andover File Basement
STREETS OF ANDOVER
GAYLAMOUNT PAMPHLET BINDER
Manufactured by GAYLORD BROS. Inc. Syracuse, N. Y. Stockton, Callt.
J
Joyce Terrace, 28
Tudson Road, 19
K
Kenilworth, 28 Kensington, 28
T
Lincoln, 29 Locke, 17 Lockway Road, 6 Lupine Rond, 15
Magnolia Avenue, 28
Main, 1] Vanle Avenue, 9 Morton, 19
P
Park, 16
Pasho, 10
Pearson, 12, 13 Phillips, 21, 22
Poor, 28 Porter. Road, 2, 24 Prospect Road, 1, 23
1
R
Rai road, 15
Y Rice, 15
Riverina Road, 28 Rohendy Road, 23
I'DEX -- 2
001
Salem, 23 School, 3, 20 Shawsheen Road, , 28 Shepley, 28 Sherbourne, 28
Shipman Road, 5 South, 2, 3
Stinson Road, 23 Stirling, ,28 Stratford Road, 10 Stonehedge Road, 23
Summer,
9
Sutherland,
28
T
Torr, 22 Tyrian Way, 12
Warwick, 28 Walnut Avenue, 5 Washington Avenue, 6
West Wind Road, 5 Pine, 5
Wheeler,
18,
22
Whittier, 7 Wildwood Road, 24
William, 28 Windsor, 28 Wolcott Avenue, 8
York, 28
STREETS OF ANDOVER -- INDEX
A
Ahbot, 21 Alderbrook Road, 25, 26 Apple Tree Lane, 23
Argilla Road,
29
Arcle, 28 Arundel, 28 27 Avon , 10 Ayer, 28
Balmoral, ,
28
Fallardvale -Road,
2,
24
Fancroft Road,
24
Barnord,
16
Eartlet,
18
Binney,
28
Poston Road, 12
Frechin Terrace, 29
Brook,
15
Burnham Road,
27
Py-Pass,
30
C
Cabot Road, 5
Canterbury, 28 Carisbrooke , 28
Carlisle, 28
H
Harding,
16
Harold Parker Rond,
3,
30
Hidden Road,
2,
24
High,
27
Centrol, 3, 12 Chandler Rond, Highland Road, 23
Chapel Avenue, 10
Chestnut, 17 Chickering Court, 9 Coolidge Road, 5
D
Dufton Road,
27
Dumbarton,
28
Dwight,
22
E
Elm, 3,
4, 7
Elm Court,
10
Enmore ,
28
Essex,
14
Essex Turnpike ,
10
F
Fletcher,
28
Flint Circle,
27
Flint Court,
10
Florence,
9
Foster Circle,
6
G
Gardner Avenue,
23
Could Road,
3 ,
30
Carmel Rood, 6, 27 Castle Heights, .28 Cedar Road, 5
7'
E
91
STREETS OF ANDOVER
Notes on the streets of Andover given in part at the meeting of the Andover Historical Society held at Amos Blanchard house February 22, 1954 by Bessie P. Goldsmith.
Miss Bailey says after the settlers had laid out the town and established their homes and provided means for religious culture and education, their first care was the making and improving of roads for access to the older towns; this being essential to the comfort and safety of the new plantation. Our ancestors travelled by the rivers and through the forest, first on foot and horseback then by wheeled vehicles.
The river was an impediment as well as a means of travel. In 1715 there was a ferry, Swan's Ferry, between Andover and Haverhill and in 1735 Daniel Bodwell had a ferry across the Merrimack.
In these modern days a "ride through the woods" suggests something pleasant and refreshing but when great unbroken forests extended all 1 around hemming in and cutting off the little communities from friendly neighbors the woods were viewed with feelings of quite a different sort: to clear the timbers and make roads were then of prime importance. Imagination pictures those ancient road-makers in their lonely journeys through the forest exposed to perils of wild beasts and of hostile Indians, who lurked about to steal if not to kill.
In the course of time, if not at first, in order to accommodate the town, it became necessary to run roads through private lands. These were used as highways but kept closed by gates or bars, the travellers being required to always put up the bars "safe after them." There were drift ways or bridle-paths, private or "perticuler" ways, town ways and open-town ways.
The places our travellers aspired to reach wore Haverhill and Concord to the north and Salem and Boston for trade and to attend court. In 1688 people of Andover wore "dissatisfied with the way to Salem which is the nearest market town". There were also ways to travel from the old homesteads to church and to mill. What is now a rough little-used road may have once been a main course of travel; for instance, the south end of the present Sunset Rock Road, the road beyond Urs. Wards on Holt Hill and the part of Chandler road lost in the Andover Country Club
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golf links which Mr. Trow thought was a part of the Chandler trail to
the ferry and on to Concord, New Hampshire.
As early as 1661 it is ordered that every male person of 16 years shall =
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upon three or four days warning by the surveyor attend the monding of
1 1 the highways upon forfeit of double demars for every days neglect by ie ever any person, and so likewise every team, that is, every man four shillings a day so neglecting.
In March 1820 it was voted that each man who works ten hours a day on the highways be allowed eighty-four cents and the same for each pair of cattle
In 1647 persons were appointed by the General Court to lay out a way from Reading to Andover, among them Nicholas Holt of Andover. John Osgood and Thomas Hale were to lay out the road from Andover to Haverhill. By 1770 the mode of travel had changed largely from the saddle and pillion to the more comfortable family chaise, or for public conveyance, the stare coach had been introduced. There are among the papers of old families certificates of taxes paid at this period and later for the chaises kept. The stage coach did not come into general use except for long distances, as from Boston to Portsmouth, until somewhat later during the levolution. It required a good deal of work to make the roads fit for travel by wheeled vehicles. In 1835 we read a polite article in the Town Warrant / to see if the town is agreeable to the request of Mr. Jacob Shed to compensate him for damage he received by being thrown from his waggon on November last in consequence of a breach in the road near the home 4 belonging to the heirs of Alice Abbott deceased. In November 1857 a report was heard from a committee on the naming of streets, but it was not accepted and as late as 1885 there were 30 un- named streets described in the street directory of that date by the numerals 1 to 30. The description of their course past homes of people unknown to me are unintelligible. Light on 20th street was thrown by Mrs .. Hayward in the assessors office who said 20th Street was Ballardvale Road. Its description as running from the Boston Road by J. C. Goldsmith A to the Salom Road would have been mystifying if I had not read the description of South Street by Alfred Poor in the Andover Advertiser of June 27, 1863. In describing "South Street" (now Hicken and Porter roads) he says that it is one of the oldest streets in town, a part of
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the most ancient highway from Haverhill to Boston, Describing the street foot by foot he passes the large house of David Hidden, (now owned by Dr. Currier) and writes "Near the carpenter's shop of the late Mr, Hidden the road divides. The left branch is the road from Methuen and Andover to Salem and is the way which leads by Sunset Rock, This sounds impossible, but he may be right.
In 1901 the question of properly naming the streets was again agitated and continued to be agitated until the names of the then existing streets were adopted about as we know them now. In 1903 it was voted to retain the name of Missionary Lane instead of the proposed Woodland Road, but a later vote seems to have prevailed. There was also talk of changing Hidden Road to Jones Road as it passed the old Jones homestead. Mineral Street was changed to Red Spring Road and Mill Street to Sawmill Road, now Gould Road and Harold Parker Road.
The selectmen who pondered this problem for three years were Samuel Boutwell, William G. Goldsmith ( in 1903 B. Frank Smith) and John Stack who took over after an original committee on the problem was "discharged." I lay the wise course of retaining the family names of the West Parish Roads, most of which are on the 1830 maps of Andover, to Mr. Boutwell, Lovejoy, Dascomb, Haggett, Bailey, Chandler, Blanchard, Cutler, and Osgood. I might say here that the two new roads off High Plain Road, Virginia and Shirley, are named after the daughters of Carl Stevens who laid out this development.
There are now 210 named streets in the Assessors list of polls and there will be a dozen more after the coming Town meeting. It would be an almost endless project to learn the history of all of them and no doubt tedious delvad to listen to the tale. I have simply delt out a few facts which may be of interest. They are classified neither historically nor geographically but I hope in your imagination you may be able to follow me. I shall begin with an old post road which ran down Elm Street, Central Strect and then South up School Street.
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STREETS OF ANDOVER
ELM STREET
In 1647 the General Court appointed John Osgood and Thomas Hale to lay out a way from Haverhill to Andover.
In 1776 a stage had long run past Mr. Isaac Abbot's house (70 Elm St.)
In though to and from what places has not definitely been ascertained. 1781 a stage ran from Boston to Portsmouth. George Washington rode over this road November 9, 1981, travelling from Haverhill to Lexington, passing through our square and down Central Street. (Our Main Street was not then a main thoroughfare nor for many years to come.)
In 1825 the County Records read that the road from Haverhill to Boston to where it meets the Essex Turnpike at Mayo's Tavern (The Elm House). be widened and straightened on petition of Mayo, Whittier, Foster, 5 Abbots, West, Noyes, and Wilson. Their damages ranged from $2 to $95. They were "aggrieved by the doings of the committee in estimating their damages."
andover
Now to begin at the North End of the line ---
When I consider that within my own lifetime I have seen the land on the south change from a pine forest (and in my mother's day both sides were pine forests) to a field of English hay in John Richardson's day and now to a modern housing development, it is truly appalling!
Aside from Brookfield Road I am not enthusiastic about some of the pro- posed names: Fox Hill Road, Hedgerow Lane, Woodcliff Road, Elmwood Road, Rocky Ridge Road. There is no rocky ridge and no cliff-but as most of the elms are gone from Elm Street, the pines from Pine Street, 1 the walnuts from Walnut Avenue, the chestnuts from Chestnut Street, and the rattlesnakes from Rattlesnake Hill Road, I don't know what difference it makes.
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WEST WIND ROAD
West Wind road running through Harry Eares's (more recently Mrs. Burton's) mowing is rather a good name. At present this street is listed as private.
The next road running off to the cast to Flying Feather's farm is often considered "private" but I don't see how it can be. It shows on an 1830 map and ran through to Back Street (Highland road). In 1890 it was voted to discontinue the old town way between the Luke Worthey place (where the Covells now live) to the North Andover line but nothing was said about discontinuing the rest of it.
PINE STREET
Pine Street Was accepted in 1902 and $1700 appropriated for its construc- tion. In 1904, $500 more was needed for its completion.
JOHNSON ACRES
I suppose 100 years from now someone will ask who was Johnson and who iwas the enterprising man who m1954 made a gentleman's estate into what was then a modern housing develop- 1. Fred ment? Oh, Cheever whose name is immortalized in the name Cheever Cirlce (accepted 1938-1940).
ve Rev. Francis Howe Johnson, who married Mary Dow, was an Episcopal clergy- man though he was never settled in a parish. He was a trustee of Abbot Academy in 1876. The drive approaching his old home is now Johnson Road accepted as a highway in 1936.
COOLIDGE ROAD
Coolidge Road accepted in 1936-1938 was named after our governor and President, Calvin Coolidge.
CABOT ROAD
Cabot road accepted in 1940 is named for Henry Cabot Lodge.
SHIPMAN ROAD
Shipmen Road is named after Rev. Frank R. Shipman, past of the South Church from 1892-1912 and 1921-1930.
CEDAR ROAD
Cedar Road was accepted in 1936.
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WALNUT AVENUE
--
Walnut Avenue is an old way from the Haverhill-Andover road (Elm Street) toward the Shawsheen river possibly to the Powder Mill in 1789. It was once called Mill Street and in my childhood Carmel Lane. In 1860 there was an article in the Town Warrant to discontinue a short piece of the old road between Carmel Lane and the junction of the old Railroad now a public 11 highway and the road leading to the Almshouse. In 1887 there is an article 12 in the warrant appropriating $300 to repair and regrade Walnut Avenue, " otherwise known as Carmel Lane.
WASHINGTON AVENUE
Washington Avenue was accepted in 1889. As Benjamin Wardwell said in Town Meeting, "this street was laid out on a cow-path." It was named on the centennial of George Washington's historic journey down Elm Street. As it was laid out over the land of Mr. Cummings and he aspired to have it named Cummings street, he had an article in the 1890 warrant to that effect. He said he had given $1300 worth of land and had spent $75 in laying it out. But the wisdom of John N. Cole prevailed and it retains the name of Washington, one to endure after that of Cummings is forgotten. $350 damage was awarded and $900 appropriated for construction. Let us hope Mr. Cummings made up his losses on the house lots he sold.
LOCKWAY ROAD
Lockway Road was named after Samuel B. Locke who once lived at 70 Elm St. (still occupied by his descendants) and who owned land from Elm St. to Walnut Ave. 192 acres, including what is now Walcott Ave. and Carmel Road; that is the part between Walnut Ave. and Elm St. He bought the house and land from Amos Abbot in 1861.
CARMEL ROAD
The younger generation doesn't seem to realize that Carmel Hill and Zion's Hill, which we usually call just "the hill" are named after mountains in Palestine. The names I suppose are a heritage from the days of the Andover Theological Seminary.
FOSTER CIRCLE
Foster Circle is a subdivision of the Moses Foster estate. . I have alluded
- te him previously.
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I might note here that Elm St. had the first sidewalk in town in June of 1861 extending on the southeast side from Elm Square to Punchard Ave. (now Whittier St.) This was acquired through the enterprise of Moses Fpster Esq. Moses Foster was the Cashier of the Andover National Bank from 1856 to 1895. I dare say he wanted it for his own convenience, he was that kind of a man. A man who aspired to wear a tall silk hat to work every day should have a sidewalk under his feet and in my mind's eye I can still see him trudging up the street over "his sidewalk" which he lived to enjoy for many years. A clipping from what I presume was the Andover Advertiser tells that it was"12 feet wide to meet the demands of the most expansive female attire." It was of gravel and "when trodden down will be even, hard, and substantial." It vas protected by a wall of stone overtopped with sod, its outside true as a line.
WHITTIER STREET
Whittier Street is a long story. Nathaniel Whittier lived in the house which is now the Cole Sanitarium on Summer St., and owned all the land now bounded by Summer, Elm, and Whittier, and more besides. He was superinten- dent of the Boston & Maine repair shop then located in Andover but removed to Lawrence in 1848.
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In October 1856 a way was laid out from the Haverhill Andover Road (Elm St.) to the Punchard Free School to give the North Andover pupils (there was then no high school in North Andover) a shorter route to their destination, rather than going around through Elm Square. The high school itself was a new idea and the propsed new road didn't malte a favorable impression though its proponents had its course carefully plotted.
Beginning at the road leading from Andover to North Andover through the land of Amos Abbott and Nathaniel Whittier, crossing Summer Street, still through the land of Whittier and George French to the Punchard Free school land, then southwesterly by the side of Punchard School land to the south- erly side of Punchard Ave. and so to Main St. It was all specified in rods and links, to be 3 rods wide except from the school to Main St., where it was to be 4 rods and 3 links. The article in the Warrant was sponsored by the Trustees of the Punchard Free School and the Town meeting "convened in the Furniture Warcroon of Henry F. Barnard."
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Some sort of a road from Main Street to the site of the school building must have been laid out before this while construction was going on for the school was dedicated in 1856. That year a report of the naming of streets was heard at the town meeting but not accepted. However, at that tire, Punchard Avenue (Main to the school) was named with one dissenting vote. That person wanted the name of Universalist Court retained. The Universalist church now Fred Cheever's barn once stood near what is now Main Street near the entrance to Punchard Avenue. The report of the selectmen on the proposed new street was recommitted - to them with instructions to report the same in connection with some other route having its northerly terminus near the house of Enoch Abbott. In March of 1857 a report was again laid on the table. Later in the meeting it was taken from the table and voted that the subject be re- committed to the selectmen to examine more extensively at some future time.
------- 1 In November 1857 however it was voted to accept the "central route." By November of 1858 there was an article to see what actions the Town will take with reference to a Sheriff's Jury petitioned for by N. Whittier and Amos Abbott to assess damages for land taken for road. It was voted: That the Selectmen make the best defense possible before a Jury. This was originally all Punchard Avenue and from its strange and angular i course I have heard it called Z street. Bear this in mind in reference to later descriptions of the proposed Park and Chestnut Streets. That is why there had to be an article in the 1896 warrant: That so much of Punchard Avenue as runs from Elm Street to Bartlet be called Whittier and that portion of Punchard Avenue as runs from that portion of Pimchard Avenue as runs from that pertion now changed to Whittier to the original Punchard Avenue be changed to Bartlet, so that a little piece of Bartlet Street wouldn't be named Punchard Avenue.
WALCOT AVENUE
Walcott Avenue was developed by Miss Florence Locke for the Locke estate and maned for Governor Walcott. It was accepted in 1.004 and named in 1907.
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SUMMER STREET
Summer Street on the 1830 map is not anywhere near straight but had a semicircular swing to the south before entering Highland Road, once Back Street.
MAPIE AVENUE
Maple Avenue was laid out through his land by John Flint. In a deed "Flint to Goldsmith" August 22, 1874 it is referred to as "a new-proposed street." In 1879 John Flint petitioned to have Maple Avenue improved and $1,000 was added to the budget. In 1884 Henry A. Bodwell (then living at what is now 37 Maple Avenue) petitioned for $500 to gravel the road- way and sidewalks and again in 1887 with the help of his neighbors James Grovenor, James Middleton, and George S. Cole got $800 "to finish the gravelling and grading begun in 1884."
It must have been the custom when a new street was laid out for the abutters to be very careful about their bounds. I know that my father built a tight board fence along the extent of his property on Maple Avenue so tall that as a child I couldn't see over the top and with enough lumber in it to build a modern ranch house.
FLORENCE STREET
I have been told that it was named for Miss Florence Parker and supposed her father had something to do with it, but according to the records of 1885 in a selectmens' report concerning a way from Elm to Park Streets it is described as over land of E. Kendall Jenkins, Beorge T. Abbott, and William Wood! John Houghton Flint solved this problem when he wrote me from South Carolina thet Miss Florence Parkeb's father, Charles S. Parker, was selectman when the street was laid out (Incidentally he was an undertaker and his ware house is still standing on Park Street and occupied as a dwelling.) When the Board went to view the layout of the street they were wondering what to call it and one of them said, "Why not call it for your daughter Florence?" and it was so named. $75 was voted for fence damages and $900 for construction.
CHICKERING COURT
The Chickerings lived at what is now 40 Elm St. and had a piano factory on Pearson St. according to the 1856 map. In 1900 George Chickering of
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Lawrence still owned 36 and 40 Elm Street and 2 "new houses" at the rear of 10 Elm Street.
ELMI COURT
Elm Court was laid out by John Flint and was once known as Flint's Court.
Now a few comparatively new streets to the south:
AVON STREET
Avon Street runs from Summer to Chestnut Street. It was accepted in 1899. I don't know why it was named Avon Street.
PASHO STREET
Pasho Street runs from Sumber Street to Chestnut Street. It was accepted in 1924. In 1920 Henry F. Pasho was taxed for a house (now 36 Summer Street) and 22 acres of land. !
STRATFORD ROAD
1.
Its name is sort of a joke, Stratford on Avon. In 1932 it was laid out from Chestnut to Summer between Avon and Upland Road. It was officially named in 1937.
ESSEX TURNPIKE
Much of this data about the Essex Turnpike is taken from the County Records.
In 1801 the inhabitants of Andover unreasonably refused to approve and allow a private way laid out by the selectmen of Andover in the month of March for the use of the Town across Fryet's Farm, so called. It was ordered by the court that said way be approved. Whether that is as the Turnpike now runs or as Burnham Road runs I don't know. In 1805 the Proprietors of the Essex Turnpike Corporation established in 1803 were authorized to lay out a road and should be holden to pay the damages which shall arise to any person by taking his land for said road where it cannot be obtained by voluntary agreement. The Directors were John Phillips, Jr., Tebah Holt and David Wood. (There are pages of South 5º East 20 rods to a stake thence 13º East Forth near what 143 rods and so forth). as
As far as the Russells Farms which is now < called Carter's Corner.
Those who collected damages were James Barnard and his son Janes,
£
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Martha Moore, Ward Noyes, James Frye ($547.75) Samuel Osgood, heirs of Henry Holt, South Parish of Andover, Isaac Chandler, Phillips Academy, Ebenezer Jones, Jeremiah Goldsmith, Samuel Cogswell (including moving barns and buildings adjoining) and John Russell.
In 1806 they laid our the residue of the way to the Middlesex line near Joseph Holts in Reading. Those who collected damages being John Russell, Uriah Russell, Samuel Cheever, and William Goldsmith.
The foregoing report having been read and fully understood is therefore considered by the court that the same should be considered and allowed and recorded that the way therein described may be hereafter known for a public highway.
There must have been an old way to the south near this turnpike road which included Hidden Road and the old Boston Road which we can see now served to bypass swamps, although Boston Road as it is now used was not officially accepted until 1929.
In 1894 it was voted to see if the town would petition the state highway Commission to have the turnpike laid out as a State Highway, and in 1900 Main Street was relocated from the junction of Main and School Streets to a point near the residence of James C. Sawyer. Its reconstruction in 1910 must have been the time when the old road was eliminated which ran close toward the dwelling houses on the west side of the street. Notes on building of turnpike:
1805 turnpike from New Hampshire line to Lt. John Russells. 1806 Essex turnpi e from Lt. John Russells to Middlesex County line neer Joseph Holt's in Reading.
1878 $3500 appropriated to build a "stone Bridge" over the Shawsheen River, known as "Stimpson's Bridge."
1882 Albort E. Ware leaves a legacy of $1,000 to build a sidewalk from Chapel Avenue to the Town Hall, It is to be substantial with a curb- stone covered to a proper depth by concrete of an appropriate quality, flagstones, or suitable brick.
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