Mill Sites

American Woolen Company Shawsheen Mills

Ballardvale Mills 204 Andover Street Established by John Marland in 1835, Ballardvale Mills were powered by steam and water. In 1841 Marland imported English worsted machinery to make the first worsted wool in this country. When in 1857, when John Marland went bankrupt, the mills passed to Josiah P. Bradlee, who produced flannels, since the power-driven manufacture of worsted woolens had not worked for John Marland. The new company went out of business in the 1950's.

Marland Woolen Mills Stevens and North Main Street In 1820 Abraham Marland purchased a paper mill and converted it to produce wool. In 1879 it was bought by the Stevens Woolen Company. The original mill buildings were replaced over time. and the mill operated until 1960.

In 1996 one of the remaining buildings was converted to an assisted living facility.

Smith and Dove Flax Mills Railroad Street and Essex Street and Red Spring Road Originally the site was used by Abraham Marland. Then in 1814 Pascal and Abel Abbot erected a mill to produce spun cotton, wool and flannel. They operated the mill until 1837. James Howarth erected a stone mill building in 1824 to produce flannel. This mill went out of business in 1837 also.

In 1842 John Dove, Peter Smith and John Smith bought the vacant mill buildings and began producing linen, twine, and sail cloth. Smith and Dove was bought by the Ludlow Sales Corporation in 1n 1828. In 1930 Ludlow Sales failed.

Most of the buildings have been replaced by newer structures, except the 1814 structure built by the Abbots.

No map of the location of all the mills in Andover is available, although some are noted on the 1830 map of the Andovers.

See

• Sarah Loring Bailey's Historical Sketches of Andover for a description of some of the early water mills.

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--Eleanor 12:01, February 2, 2006 (EST)