What is was. . . What it is now!
Part 2 of a two-part post
Welcome or welcome back to History Buzz! If you’re a subscriber to the Buzz, thank you! If you’re new here, or you haven’t become a subscriber yet, hit that subscribe button to have History Buzz delivered directly to your inbox. If you can, please consider a paid subscription to support the research and writing that make History Buzz possible.
Today’s post is another visit to an interesting site that a family would have fun visiting. This History Buzz is part 2 of a two-part post about this location that has a great deal of history. Many thanks to the Andover Historic Preservation website, the Andover Center for History and Culture as well as the Andover Trail Guide for their help with this topic
What do these pictures have in common?
#1
#2
Picture #1 was the executive office of William Wood’s American Woolen Company that was in business in the early 20th century.
What does this beautiful building have to do with playgrounds?
Part of William Wood’s plan for Shawsheen Village were recreation facilities for the American Woolen employees who lived in the village. There were athletic fields, bowling greens, and tennis courts. When William Wood died in 1926, the American Woolen Company offices were moved to Boston. The Sacred Heart School for Boys became the owners in 1945. The purchase of this property also included the Balmoral Athletic Fields as well as the tennis courts and bowling greens.
When the Sacred Heart School closed in 1975 the Town of Andover wanted to acquire the open space property. In1976 the town appropriated funds to purchase the Balmoral Athletic fields, the former Bowling Green with the stone Boys Clubhouse and the gym building.
Much of this area had once been a floodplain for the Shawsheen River but had been altered by the American Woolen Company. In 1986, the Conversation Commission took custody of the land which allowed them to oversee the conservation of the land and to provide recreational opportunities for the town. This land area is now known as Sacred Heart Reservation.
Picture #2 is the entrance to the Lower Track and Field in Shawsheen as well as a playground on Balmoral Street.
The playground occupies the space that was once in an area of 3 clay tennis courts built by William Wood. The courts opened in 1921 and were available to the public and proved to be very popular.
According to the Andover Townsman July 21, 1921,
While the courts are open to the public, the right is reserved by the manager of the SPA to refuse the right to play any persons who do not conform with the rules laid down. To defray the cost of upkeep a nominal charge of 25 cents per house for singles and 50 cents for doubles, will be made. Persons wishing to reserve courts in advance may do so by telephoning the SPA. The courts will not be open for use on Sunday mornings.
Another report in the Andover Townsman July 29, 1921,
Due to the nearness of the courts to a public thoroughfare it has been asked by those in charge that men refrain from playing in sleeveless jerseys.
And another interesting report from the Andover Townsman August 19, 1921,
Tennis Tournament---Twenty-five players enter in playoff Matches. Gallery sees Excellent Tennis----While it was originally planned to have a ladies tournament, at the same time, there was not a significant number of entrants …
While there are no tennis courts there now, there is, however, a terrific playground.
The recently renovated track was once used for track and field events by the Shawsheen Athletic Association which had been created by George Wallace, a friend and trusted employee of William Wood. October 1922 was opening day for the Balmoral Athletic Field and there was a large field day for the employees of the American Woolen Company.
The Andover Townsman reported on the event October 6, 1922,
“The occasion of the field day and track events is the formal opening of the new cinder track and athletic field…. The track is a quarter mile, oval in form, entirely circling the baseball and football field and is level as a billiard table…. A grandstand will be built of adequate capacity…Around the cinder track is a cinder track with cement curbing about two feet in height which will act as a retainer for water allowing the field to be flooded for skating in the winter.
The Shawsheen Athletic Association also formed and owned the Shawsheen Indians a semi-pro soccer team. This team won the National Soccer Championship in 1925!
According to the Andover Townsman June 23, 1922,
The lights that have been installed on the bowling green are a welcome addition since they enable bowling and golf after dark.
Still another activity was available to the villagers according to the Andover Townsman June 9, 1922,
“The latest attraction in the Village is boating… There are three boats for use, The Shawsheen, the Sagamore and the Algonquin.”
Now this area has a wonderful playground and a track as well as soccer fields.
This area is referred to as the Lower Shawsheen playground, which saw a renovation in 2019, and the Lower Shawsheen Soccer fields. The track was also recently renovated in 2022.
Now the Sacred Heart Reservation and the Balmoral Fields are enjoyed by many families thanks to the vision of William Wood in the past and now thanks to the citizens of Andover who saved the open space and created playgrounds that are safe for all to use.
There is also a plan, the Shawsheen River Master Plan 2022, to continue to improve this area. The goal of the plan (which also includes maps that readers can access) . . .
is to enhance the Bowling Green Soccer Field as an anchor destination along the lower reach of the Shawsheen in Andover and establish a linear chain of parks in the area connecting to the nearby Lower Shawsheen Field and Sacred Heart Reservation.
Have you been to the Lower Shawsheen Playground, used the track or watched a soccer game on the fields? Have you ever heard of the Shawsheen Indians soccer team? We would like to hear about your experience at the park.
~Barbara
I was down there once... for one of the events connected with Andover's 375 anniversary.
Thanks, Barbara, for the posts in this series. It's fascinating
Lots of still untapped potential to make this area even better