Andover Author - Bessie Goldsmith

Bessie Punchard Goldsmith, a lifelong resident of Andover, was born on November 21, 1882, and died on November 8, 1974. A woman of independent spirit, she was active in the town throughout her life. She was the first woman on the Andover Police Force, a position she held for 25 years; she taught home economics in the Andover school system and was a member of the Andover Guild, Andover Historical Society, Andover Garden Club, November Club, and the Andover Village Improvement Society (AVIS).

The Goldsmith Woodlands is a 130 acre tract of land bordering Foster Pond donated by Bessie to the Town in her will to be used as a wildlife sanctuary. It is maintained by the AVIS Society. The land had been the family farm, although Bessie lived on Elm Street. The chief crop of the farm was hops.

She wrote a column in the Andover Townsman called Townswoman. A collection of these published in The Townswoman's Andover, printing sponsored by the Andover Historical Society. Her papers are archived at the Andover Historical Society.

See

• Goldsmith's Woodlands
• Townswoman's Andover by Bessie P. Goldsmith 974.45 Gol

• "Conservationist's Spirit Lives With A Gift of 130 Acres to AVIS," Lawrence Eagle Tribune, May 30, 1977.

• "Inside the Woodlands of Bessie Goldsmith", Town Crossings, July 30, 1999, page 9.

• "Bessie Goldsmith's work helps crack 'cocoanut' question," Andover Townsman, June 15, 2006, p. 40.

• "Andover Stories: Town Owes Much More Than Amusement to one-of-a-kind Bessie Goldsmith, Andover Townsman, May 19, 2011.

--Eleanor 15:23, August 14, 2012 (EDT)

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