Ballardvale

The Ballardvale area in Andover is named after Timothy Ballard who owned a salt and grist mill in the 18th century. In 1836 John Marland built a woolen mill on the site that went bankrupt in 1857. The company treasurer, J.P. Bradlee aquired the mill, named it the Bradlee Mill, but the area continued to be called Ballardvale.

The Lithia Spring Company in Ballardvale sold bottled water with lithium in it. Lithia salts were added to the water. Paul Hannigan from Lawrence set up the company in the 1880's. It was later bought by another group of men in the 1890's. Mineral water was very popular at the time. Lithium was not discovered as a treatment for mania unil 1948.

See

• History of Ballardvale Andover Room 974.45 His A compendium of articles about Ballardvale, taken from a variety of sources.

• "Andover's Former Mill Village," Andover Townsman, January 4, 1996, p. 17,18,21. (Celebrating Andover's 350th Anniversary insert, photos)

• "Mills of Ballard Vale Captured Attention of Artist Sheeler (Charles Sheeler)," Boston Globe, September 8, 1996, Northwest section, p. 17.

• "Smooth sailing so far for Ballardvale Historic District," Andover Townsman, January 14, 1999, p. 17.

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

• "Ballardvale had Something in the Water: Gold-medal Winning Lithium.Virginia Perry Reck," Andover Townsman, 8/27/2009, p.13.

• "1896 Titans of Trade," Andover Townsman, January 17, 2013, p. 5.

• "1896 Titans of Trade Part II: Downtown Merchants," Andover Townsman, January 24, 2013, p. 16.

--Eleanor 16:18, August 17, 2011 (EDT) back to Main Page