Andover Town Hall
See Old Town House and Old Town Hall
After the two parishes of Andover split resulting in two towns (Andover and North Andover) in 1855, Andover town meetings were held in churches and private homes. It became evident that a town hall was necessary and one was built in 1858 at 20 Main Street.
During World War II the meeting hall on the upper floor was divided to makeshift office space. In 1946 The Town's Tercentennial Committee advocated that the building be torn down. The building, however, was not torn down then but the fever to tear down the building was rejuvenated in a Town warrant article during the 1960's. When Fred Cheever, a local real estate developer donated $500 to begin renovation the article was defeated. In 1981 Punchard High School was renovated and used as a Town Hall. Finally the 1987 Town Meeting appropriated $2.6 million dollars to renovate the old Town Hall and the process began. Using old photographs the meeting room was restored; it is now rented for functions.
The building is now listed National Register of Historic Places.
See
- Andover A Century of Change, by Eleanor Motley Richardson, 974.45 Ric page 43.
- Andover What it Was, What it is 974.45 And page 1 of the section titled "What it Will Be".
- "He Fought for Town Hall - and Won" Townsman, July 14, 2005, page 34
- Images of America, by Andrew Gritz 974.5 Gri, pages 96 &97.
--Eleanor 13:23, February 16, 2013 (EST)
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