Shawsheen Village

Shawsheen Village was built in the area of Andover that was Frye Village. William Wood envisoned an entire community for the "white collar" workers of the American Woolen Company. He purchased land starting in 1906 and began construction in 1918. Within 5 years the self contained village of Shawsheen was completed. The village included residential, commerical, recreational, and industrial areas.

Shawsheen Village was originally called Frye Village in the 18th century. It was renamed after the River that flowed through the area - The Shawsheen River.

The name Shawsheen is derived from the native American word Shawshin meaning serpentine. An alternate spelling is Shaw Shynne.

Shawsheen Village.This picture is from the Centennial Issue of the Andover Townsman, July 21, 1988, page 97A

See

• “Mills, Mansions, and Mergers” by Edward G. Roddy, pages 83-105.

• “Shawsheen: the Model Community and the Home of the Officers and Staff of the American Woolen Company”

• Andover Townsman, August 28, 1975, page 20.

• "Shawsheen -- A Dream that Became an Actuality," Andover Townsman, March 19, 1981, p. 6, 68.

• "Villagers want history saved: Shawsheen neighborhood fights wrecking ball," Eagle Tribune, April 27, 1997, p. C1.

• "Soccer fields a glaring intrusion into historic Shawsheen," Eagle Tribune, April 30, 1997, p. 9.

• "Shawsheen neighbors protest plan for night soccer," Andover Townsman, June 26, 1997, p. 12.

• "Leave them in the dark: Shawsheen neighbors don't want field lights," Andover Townsman, August 14, 1997, p. 1.

• "Lights fight blazes on," Andover Townsman, August 21, 1997, p. 7.

• "Should 1920s village be historic district? Shawsheen Village homeowners asked," Eagle Tribune, January 29, 1998.

• "Historic Shawsheen Village?," Andover Townsman, February 5, 1998.

• "Shawsheen neighbors support historic district," Andover Townsman, March 19, 1998, p. 34.

• "Residents mull how to shut off Shawsheen lights," Andover Townsman, March 26, 1998, p. 6.

• "Shawsheen lights fight heads to Land Court," Andover Townsman, April 9, 1998, p. 5.

• "Shawsheen group again tries to suit out the soccer lights," Andover Townsman, May 28, 1998.

• "A new vote on field lights?," Andover Townsman, June 25, 1998, p. 1.

• "Shawsheen residents want to be historic," Andover Townsman, December 31, 1998, p. 18.

• "Move to preserve Shawsheen Village afoot," Eagle Tribune, January 5, 1999.

• "History in the districting," 'Andover Townsman, January 7, 1999, p. 1.

• "The more things change, the more Andover stays the same," Andover Townsman, January 14, 1999, p. 17.

• "Lights don't make right, says Shawsheen group," Andover Townsman, April 22, 1999, p. 7.

• "Shawsheen Historic District draws the line," Andover Townsman, April 22, 1999, p. 20.

• "Voters turn the lights out at Shawsheen fields," Andover Townsman, April 29, 1999, p. 17.

• "Historic district can't muster two-thirds," Andover Townsman, May 13, 1999.

• "Behind Ballardvale," Townsman, November 6, 2003.

• "Selectmen nix $500,000 flooding article," Eagle Tribune, March 24, 2005, p. 13.

• "Balmoral Tour: Learn history, help flood victims," Andover Townsman, November 23, 2006, p. 4.

• "In the 1930s, Shawsheen was the place to dance, hear jazz," Andover Townsman, November 30, 2006, p. 36.

• "Shawsheen was a whole different world from 'Andover'," Andover Townsman, December 7, 2006, p. 38.

• "Restored - again! Balmoral holds successful open house," Andover Townsman, December 21, 2006, p. 19.

• "Dusting off history: Group plans renaissance for Shawsheen Village," Eagle Tribune, April 19, 2007, p. 1.

• "Shawsheen residents invite officials to talk about flooding problems," Eagle Tribune, June 1, 2007.

• "Boating on the Shawsheen? 'Renaissance' vision to be unveiled," Andover Townsman, June 21, 2007.

• "Preservation panel honors local photographer posthumously," Andover Townsman, July 5, 2007.

• "Restoring Andover's 'missing link' Shawsheen's Renaissance men see new glory for town gateway," Andover Townsman, July 12, 2007, p. 1.

• "Shawsheen Square tree removal has residents up in arms," Eagle Tribune, July 23, 2009, p. 1.

• "Birth of Shawsheen - and the growth of the Shawsheen Woman's Club," Andover Townsman, December 3, 2009, p. 11.

• Dancing in Shawsheen Begat a Ballroom for Andover by Francesca Balboni, Andover Historical Society, also Andover Townsman September 2, 2010, p.15.

• Shawsheen Village, an Unusual Company Town. by Donn Robb, Andover Historical Society, also in Andover Townsman 11/10/2011, p.7.

--Glenda 11:33, December 19, 2006 (EST)
--Eleanor 16:25, August 17, 2011
--Leslie 16:56, July 17, 2012
--Leslie 19:58, August 8, 2012
--Eleanor (talk) 14:17, 22 October 2015 (EDT)

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