Farms

Developers eyed the extensive farmland in West Andover after World War II. Once Routes 495 and 93 were built, the area became a prime target for industry. One by one farmers sold their land and businesses moved in and residential dwellings were constructed.

In 1920 the population of Andover was 8,268. There were 206 farms. 
In 1950 the population of Andover was 12,437. There were 92 farms.
In 2005 the population of Andover was 31,247. There were 5 farms.

See

• "Andover's Last Farms" by Rita Savard, Andover Townsman, August 4, 2005, pages 4 and 5. (In the Andover File under "Farms")

Bailey Farm

The Bailey Farm on Laurel Lane was bought by Roger Lewis in 1939. In 1968 it was sold to Arkright-Boston, who leased the property to Hewlitt Packard. The farm specialized in strawberries.

See

• Andover Century of Change by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 66, page 67 and page 229. by Eleanor Motley Richardson

Barker's Farm

Barker's Farm, located on the shore of Lake Cochichawick in what is now North Andover, was registered in 1643 by Richard Barker. This, the first parcel of registered land in Andover, encompased 310 acres. The farm still is in operation today.

See

• Founding Farms: Portraits of Five Massachusetts Family Farms., photographs by Stan Sherer, profiles by Michael E. C. Gery, 338.16 She

Bolton's Clover Farm

Bolton's clover farm, was located on Lowell Street. It was part of the original Woods farm that was sold after William Wood's death. Clover, grown on a large portion of the farm, was used for feed for the farm's cattle.

See

• Andover, What It Was, What It Is. : 300th Anniversary, May 30 - June 2, 1946, Section 8 - Andover's Industries and Business Houses (974.45 And)

Funari Farm

A granite marker, dedicated to the founders, appears on the Furnari Farm site. It was a 50 acre farm on the banks of the Merrimack River. Part of the old farm now belongs to Avis.
See

• Eagle Tribune, July 11, 2003.

Lewis Farm

Roger Lewis, owner of the Lewis Farm on Lowell Street, helped to pass legislation stop development of farmland. The Agricultural Restriction Law provided funds for farmers to enable them to continue farming their land and resist the high sums offered by developers. Mr. Lewis did sell some of his land to developers and then bought a farm in South Deerfield where the cost of land was cheaper than in Andover.

See

• Andover a Century of Change:1896 - 1996 by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 66 to page 67.
• Photos of the Lewis Farm

Livingston's Apple Farm

Livingston's Apple Farm was located on both sides of Lowell Street beyond Haggetts Pond. In addition to apples the farm produced vegetables, including corn, carrots and peas and other fruits, including pears and peaches.

See

• "Sharing Fond Memories of Working on Livingston's AppleFarm, 1951", Townsman, March 19, 2009. This article can be found in the Andover file under farms.

Loosigian Farm

The Loosigian Farm, located on Lowell Street, has been a working farm since 1910.

See

• "Loosigian: 81 Years and Counting," Andover Townsman, April 4, 2002, page 1
• "Farm Bounty Recovering for Wet Spring," Andover Townsman, July 20, 2006
• Andover Vertical File - Farms

Maddox Farm

The Maddox Farm, located on the Merrimack River, once encompased a huge tract of land but as of October 1999 the Maddox family had sold all but two small parcels. In the early 1950's they sold to the Loosigian family (see entry above). The Loosigians operated the farm as Pleasantview Farms until 1976, when it was sold for industrial development.

See

• "Family Farm was where HP, Pictel and Cabletron are Today", Breaktime, October 1999. (This article is in the Andover Vertical File under Farms.)
• "Past and Present," Andover Townsman, June 6, 2004. (This picture is in the Andover Vertical File under Farms.)

Nabydoski Farm

The Nabydoski Farm, encompassing 40 acres, closed in 2005. The town maintained that because the garbage on the farm attracted seagulls, it was responsible for the high coliform count in the Pinnacle Brook and thus posed a health risk.

After a long battle with the town, Mr Nabydoski sold to developer William Johnson in October of 2004, but held the actual sale for more than a year as Mr. Nabydoski negotiated to continue living on the property after the sale was completed.

See

• "Neighbors Say His Farm Really Stinks," Andover Townsman, May 8, 2003, page 7
• "Farmer Agrees to Move the Rest of His Livestock," Boston Sunday Globe, January 9, 2005
• "Farmer Wonders What He'll Do," Eagle Tribune January 20, 2005, pages 1 and 8
• "Nabydoski's Fines Continue to Soar," Eagle Tribune, September, 22, 2005
• Andover Vertical File - Farms

Noke Farm

Noke Farm was the summer home of Charles W. Ward of of Brookine in the early 1900's. It was situated on what is now Holt's Hill, the highest peak in Essex County. Nicholas Holt, an ancestor of Ward and one of the first settlers in Andover, was the original owner of the land.

See

• Charles W. Ward Reservation
• The First Three Generations of Holts in America, by the Historical Committee of the Holt Association in America, Andover Room R 929.2 Holt p. 153.

Rennie Farm

The Rennie Farm was located at 61 Argilla Road. One of their major crops were strawberries.

See

• Andover a Century of Change:1896 - 1996 by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 66.

Richardson Farm

The seventy acre Richardson Farm, located on Elm Street, was sold for the establishment of Merrimack College in 1947.

See

• Andover a Century of Change:1896 - 1996 by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 175.

Sarkisian Farm

When Ovogen Sarkisian immigrated from Armenia in 1932 he settled on farmland on Chandler Road in West Andover. When his son Sarkis took over the running of the farm in 1960 he began a retail greenhouse on the property. In 1994 he added a driving range and then an ice cream stand. It no longer functions as a farm.

See

• " Couple has the Drive to Run Sarkisian Farms," Andover Townsman, August 23, 2007

Shattuck Farm

The Shattuck Farm, built in 1781, was an operating farm for 250 years. It encompassed seven distinct Native American sites at what is now 125 River Road. Before it became part of the Andover Industrial Park, an archaeological dig was commissioned. Two reports were published, "An Archaeological Survey and the Documentary History of the Shattuck Farm, Andover, Massachusetts," 1981 and "The Camp in the Bend of the River," by Barbara E. Luedtke.

A restaurant in the main house had served baked beans cooked in an old brick oven and an ice cream stand and country store operated on the site.

The Stattuck farm buildings were moved from the original farm site on River Road to a 12 acre piece of land on High Plain Road owned by Terrence and Patricia Sullivan. The buildings had been sold to Digital Coporation for an industrial park.

• "Shattuck Properties Survive Their Two-Day Journey," Andover Townsman, October 21, 1981, pages 6 and 8

See

• Andover a Century of Change:1896 - 1996 by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 37.

• "The Ghosts and Voices of Shattuck Farm, Today, June 18, 1975, page 10 (This article is in the Andover Vertical File - Farms)
• "8,000 Years of Man's Past Sought at Shattuck Farms", Andover Townsman, November 11, 1977.
• "Shattuck Properties Survive Their Two-Day Journey," Andover Townsman, October 21, 1981, pages 6 and 8.
• Andover Vertical File - Farms
• The archaeological studies are held in the Andover Room.

Sylvan Hollow Farm

The Sylvan Hollow farm, a poultry farm, was located on Boutwell Road.

See

• Andover a Century of Change:1896 - 1996 by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 66.

Turner Farm

The Turner Farm best known for its apple cider and pumpkins for Halloween, was located on South Main Street. See

• Andover: 1946 - 1971 (Andover Room 974.45 And) page 5.

Wild Rose Farm

The Wild Rose Farm, owned by Sid White, was located on Lowell Street. In 1960 Mr. White moved his herd to Argilla Road in 1960 and built a dairy bar on Andover Street. After the Dairy Bar was sold, Village Deli and other businesses occupid the structure.

See

• Andover a Century of Change:1896 - 1996 by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 26.
• "Past and Present," September 29, 2005, Andover Townsman

--Eleanor 16:02, September 6, 2006 (EDT)

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