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.

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.

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

• 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

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