Archive for the ‘Andover History’ Category

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Andover Stories – September 2, 2010

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

September 2nd’s story is a favorite of many Society members. Intern Francesca Balboni researched and wrote “Dancing in Shawsheen begat a ballroom for Andover.” Outdoor dancing was not unusual in the area. Dances had been held at the various picnic groves around town for many year. Bailey’s Grove on Haggett’s Pond and The Grove at Pole Hill in Ballardvale both hosted dances. However, for many Andover residents, that dances they remember fondly took place outside at the Balmoral Spa and later inside at the Crystal Ballroom in Shawsheen Village. For more than 30 years dancing was a popular activity in Andover. Follow the link to the Andover Townsman Online to learn more about the Balmoral Spa, the Crystal Ballroom, and the newly revived Crystal Ballroom dances at the Town House being launched this September.

Postcard of the Balmoral Spa dance pavillion

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Andover Stories – August 26, 2010

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

This story of the week shines a spotlight on us! Written by story editor and committee chair Gail Ralston, this story focuses on the Society’s home, the Amos Blanchard House. The Andover Historical Society has called the Amos Blanchard House home since 1929 when it was given to the Society by Miss Caroline Underhill, sister of Mr. and Mrs. Henry S. Robinson, owners of the house between 1907 and 1924. Miss Underhill lived in the house as resident curator until she passed away in 1957. The Blanchard House remains a lively presence on Main Street. The Farmers’ Market draws hundreds of people each week to the property. School children enjoy donning 19th century clothing and experiencing life long ago. Dozens of people volunteer their time to keep the Historical Society the vibrant place it is today. Follow the link to the Andover Townsman online to read more about the history of our home.

The Amos Blanchard House as it appeared in 1930.

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Photo of the Week

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

This week’s photograph is of Den Rock, a popular hiking spot since the 19th century.  Den Rock straddles two parks, one owned by Andover and the other by the city of Lawrence, both named Den Rock Park.  The Lawrence park, which was originally planned to be a city cemetery in the 1970s,  includes over 80 acres of land.  The Andover park became town property in the late 1990s after a number of companies started to scout the land for industrial use.

Den Rock itself features caves to explore and the big rock to climb.  Rumors and tales of hauntings in The Park abound.  Stories of Indian burial grounds mix with tales of the Salem witches coming to the site for secret rituals or those accused of witchcraft taking refuge from their accusers in the caves.  In the 1910s, Lawrence historian Maurice Dorgan wrote that, “The devil is said to have visited the place” in a dark and stormy night local legend.  The story is told that the devil was seen sliding down a side of the rock, which became know as the Devil’s Slide.  (From an undated article in the Eagle-Tribune found in the Society’s research files.)

Follow this link to learn more about the many hiking trails in and around Andover.

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It’s August 31st!!??

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

There are so many reasons I can’t believe it’s the end of August already. First, summer always passes too quickly and unhappily (for me and every student and teacher I know) September shows up before I know it. Secondly, we have been so busy at ADEPT that these last few weeks have just flown by (which is also why it’s been two months since our last post).

While the time has been fleeting it has not been wasted. We are fortunate to have 13 dedicated volunteers working on ADEPT this summer, making a total of 15 people on the project since we started in January. Together they have updated 3,523 database records and imported 1,190 images into the database. Put another way, 25 years (1985-2010) of the Society’s object collections records are now fully searchable.

Saying that I’m pleased with our progress would be an understatement. We started the project six months late, but thanks to our project staff we have already surpassed our annual goal of 3,000 records in just seven months. I am overwhelmed by and thankful for everyone’s efforts and generosity. Thankfully almost all of them are staying on for a while.

Thanks to them I may even be looking forward to September.

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Photo of the Week

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

This week’s photograph celebrates baseball, “The American Pastime.”  From the 1880s through the early 1900s, Andover boasted a number of local baseball teams including Andover’s Union Team, the Andover Blackstockings, and the Vale Nine.  Neighborhoods, factories, and schools often sponsored local baseball teams.  Many familiar family names appear in the ranks of local baseball teams including, Cronin, Poor, Dearborn, Collins, and Abbott.  The Andover Townsman ran a series of photographs of “old-time baseball teams” from “Auld Lang Syne” in the 1937.  Copies of the Townsman are available at the Historical Society library if you would like to take a look back at Auld Lang Syne yourself.

We don't know the names of the players in this photograph of the Vale Nine.

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Andover Stories – August 19, 2010

Friday, August 20th, 2010

This week’s story, Farming in Andover, was written by Andover historian Jim Batchelder. Jim’s story starts back to 1660, and continues right up to the 1980s.  There was a time was Andover was mostly farm land.  Over the past 200+ years Andover farms have produced sheep, poultry, beef, pork, dairy, apples, strawberries, potatoes, cabbage, and squash.  Hungry for more?  Follow the link to the Andover Townsman Online to read the full article!

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Visit the Market!

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

This week at the Andover Farmers’ Market come meet artist Jerry Smith as he performs using the Mountain Dulcimer.  Jerry has been a member of the Andover Artists Guild for two years and a resident of Andover for 18 years.  Stop by the AAG tent to hear some beautiful music.

While your visiting with your favorite vendors stop by to have your child’s facepainted on the Porch.  Our weekly craft in the barn will be hand tulips, sure to add charm to any room!

 

If you are interested at volunteering at the Andover Farmers’ Market or would like to attend and demonstrate a unique skill contact Debbie DeSmet at 978-475-2236 or email ddesmet@andoverhistorical.org.

Sign-up for the Marketer newsletter by emailing farmersmarket@andoverhistorical.org.

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Photo of the Week

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

This week’s photograph is of an anonymous bicycle club gathering behind the Town House.

Bicycle clubs were popular during the 1880s and 1890s after the safety bicycle was introduced.  Before the invention of the safety bicycle, cycling was considered a dangerous sport for adventurous young men only.  The Society has in its collection both a “velocipede,” an early bicycle without pedals that the rider propelled by sitting on the seat and pushing off on the ground, and a high wheel bicycle, that featured a very large front wheel and a small back wheel.  The safety bicycle, which featured a low seat, a drive chain, and pneumatic tires popularized cycling with men and women alike, and set off a “bicycle craze” that lasted into the early 20th century.

Sadly we know nothing about the bike club assembled for this photograph, but here’s an interesting article on the history of bike clubs that appeared in the New York Times, June 30, 2010.

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Andover Stories – August 12, 2010

Friday, August 13th, 2010

This week’s Andover Story, “Andover company that started as Tyer Rubber produced Converse shoes, NHL puck.” was written by Mike Simo. Tyer Rubber was a major manufacturing employer for over 100 years. The Society is fortunate to have in its collection photographs of the Tyer Rubber factory, along with examples of some of the company’s products. Tyer Rubber materials include sneakers, a hot water bottle, and a few rubber postcards that the company produced to show the quality of their product. To learn more about Tyer Rubber company and its founder Henry G. Tyer, follow the link to the Andover Townsman website.

Tyre Rubber employee working in the mill.

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Photo of the Week

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Andover has a long history of patriotic celebrations.  Fourth of July features the Horribles Parade and other events, including fire works.  Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, Flag Day, and war memorials for those who served in World War I, World War II, and Korea are all celebrated by the Town’s Patriotic Celebrations Committee.  In addition, Andover has a lively history of celebrating its own anniversaries, the 250th in 1896, 300th in 1946, and 350th in 1996 were all celebrated in high style

Today’s photograph is of a road race that was part of Ballardvale’s Fourth of July celebration in 1909.

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