Old Town Hall also known as Old Town House and The Townhouse and Andover - Town Seal: Difference between pages

From Andover Answers
(Difference between pages)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
 
No edit summary
 
Line 1: Line 1:
The Old Town House is also known as the Old Town Hall.
*According to tradition, the land comprising both the North and South Parishes of Andover was purchased from Cutshamache, the Sagamore of Massachusetts, for six English pounds and a coat.  This event is commemorated in the town seal, which was officially adoped at the annual meeting on March 5, 1900.  It is generally believed that the new seal was designed by Leonard Sherman, a local artist, photographer and nature writer.  However, there were no Native Americans in New England tribes that ever wore such an elaborate headdress.
*The original town seal included just text: the town name, state, and date of incorporation. 
*In 1895, John E. Whiting, a local jewler, designed a porcelin pin depicting the sale of the land that was to become Andover from the Indians as a souvenir for the Town's 250th anniversary.
* A banner was also commissioned using the same picture. [https://andoverma.gov/261/Andovers-250th-Anniversary-Banner Andover's 250th Anniversary Banner]
* For the Town's 350th anniversary, the Town requisitioned a painting of the seal for the selectman's meeting room.  Kristoffel Meulen, then a high school senior, was chosen.


On March 1, 1858, a committee was appointed to choose a site for and to consider building a Town House. The land was chosen and purchased from Mr. W. Philip Foster for $2,000.  The Town House was built in 1858 at a cost of $15,500 and is located on Main Street in the middle of town. 
[[Image:Town_Seal.jpg|thumb|...''From 1/30/2014 Townsman''.... click to enlarge|left]]
[[Image:seal.jpg|thumb|...''Cocoanut and Decoration Day''.... click to enlarge|left]]
[[Image:JEWhitingSouvenirPinATM 5 1896.PNG|thumb|...''Advertisement for JE Whiting's Souvenir Pin''|left]]


The architect was Theodore Volkers and the contractors were Abbott & Clement.  The building was described as a "spacious hall in the second story, with a small gallery and four anterooms. In the first floor, a smaller hall, also a post office room, treasurer's and selectmen's room with a fire-proof safe, and a small room to rent as an office or store."  In a committee report made on December 20, 1858, the building was described as 55ft by 86ft long.
On May 7, 1860, the committee reported the expenditures:<br>
Land $2,000.00<br>
Building $13,541.16<br>
Furniture $1,474.10<br>
Celebration $105.90<br>
Total Expense: $17,122.16<br>
In 1882, an extension was added for cooking accommodations and water for use by clubs and private parties.  In 1902, a lobby was designed with ornamental winding staircases and tinted walls.  The Town Seal was placed in the mosaic floor.
During WWII, the second floor was subdivided into office space.  Several plans to raze the building were thwarted in the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1989, the facility was completely renovated adding air-conditioning.  The building is now available for wedding receptions, theater performances, and banquets. There is still a Post Office substation on the first floor.  A "Rededication Ceremony for the Andover Town House" was held on May 6, 1989.
In 2008, work was done to fix damaged shingles that had started to fall off the roof.  This necessitated blocking off the parking spaces surrounding the building. 
In 2009, the hall at Old Town Hall was named the "James D. Doherty Town Meeting Hall," after the town's longtime Town Meeting moderator, Jim Doherty.
[[Image:Andover_Town_House_Rededication.jpg|thumb|...''Andover Town House Rededication Ceremony, May 6, 1989''.... click to enlarge|left]]
[[Image:Andover_Town_House_Rededication_Ceremony.jpg|thumb|...''Andover Town House Rededication Ceremony, May 6, 1989''.... click to enlarge|left]]
[[Image:Old_Town_Hall.jpg|thumb|...''Old Town Hall''.... click to enlarge|left]]
<br style="clear:both;" />
<br style="clear:both;" />




See
See
*"Architectural Record", November 1990. [[:Media:OldTownHallArchitecturalRecord.pdf|To Gather Together: After Years of Neglect A Restored 19th Century Town Hall is Once Again the Focus of A Community's Pride"]]  
*"New Town Seal," ''Andover Townsman'', March 9, 1900. [[Media:New_Town_Seal_ATM-1900-03.pdf]]
*''Andover Advertiser'', September 4, 1858.
* [https://archive.org/details/annualreportofto1901ando/mode/2up Town of Andover Mass, Annual Report. 1901] ''Reflects vote to formally adopt new seal''  
*''Andover Advertiser'', November 20, 1858.
* "Sealed with Historical Inaccuracies," ''Andover Townsman'', February 1, 2007.
*''Andover Advertiser'', December 25, 1858.
*"Andover's town seal tells many stories," ''Andover Townsman'', January 30, 2014, p. 7.
*''Andover Advertiser'', January 1, 1859.  
* [https://mvlc.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/andover/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:58437/one ''Andover a Century of Change:1896 - 1996''] by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 188.
* "Andover considers ways to save old Town Hall", ''Eagle Tribune'', November 25, 1986.
* [https://mvlc.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/andover/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:361302/one Andover: Symbol of New England], by Claude Moore Fuess,(974.45 Fuess), page 373.
* ''Andover Townsman'', April 27, 1989
* [https://mvlc.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/andover/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:359804/one ''The Townswoman's Andover''] by Bessie Goldsmith (974.45 Gol), page 2.
* ''Andover Townsman'', May 4, 1989, p. 6+
* [https://mvlc.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/andover/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:334425/one ''Town and City Seals of Massachusetts''], by Allan Forbes (929.9 For volume 2), page 6.
*"Sentimental journey for hall", ''Andover Townsman'', July 21, 2005.
* Uncovering Some Secrets About Local History Andover Townsman May 4, 1992 ''Andover resident Clifford Wrigley discusses the history of the seal.'' [[Media:Uncovering_Some_Secrets_ATM-1992-05-14.pdf ‎]]
*"Roofing slate falls from Old Town Hall", ''Eagle Tribune'', January 18, 2008.
* ''Andover's Town Seal (Editorial)'' Andover Townsman May 22, 1975 [[Media:AndoversTownSearlEditorial.pdf]]
*"Falling shingle prompts emergency roof fix", ''Andover Townsman'', February 7, 2008.
* ''Medallion to be offered'' Andover Townsman July 31, 1975 [[Media: MedallionToBeOfferedATM-1975-07-31.pdf]]
*"Is there new revenue in Andover's Old Town Hall?", ''Eagle Tribune'', March 18, 2008.
* ''Town Seal Won't Be Seen On Team Patch'' Andover Townsman June 30, 1983 [[Media:TownSealWontBeSeenOnTeamPatch.pdf]]
*"Hall named for Jim Doherty," ''Andover Townsman'', November 26, 2009.
*"Past and Present: Old Town Hall", ''Andover Townsman'', October 25, 2012, page 3.


[http://andoverma.gov/facilities/rentals/townhouse.php Andover Town House Function Room ]
* There is a color picture of the seal on the Andover Finance Report for 1976.


Andover Vertical File--Historic Houses--Town House
<br style="clear:both;" />


<br style="clear:both;" />
--[[User:Eleanor|Eleanor]] 12:39, July 13, 2007 (EDT)
--[[User:Glenda|Glenda]] 10:03, January 26, 2007 (EST)<br>
--[[User:Kim|Kim]] 16:32, March 14, 2012 (EDT)
<!-- insert signature here, if desired -->


back to [[Main Page|Main Page]]
back to [[Main Page|Main Page]]
[[Category:Andover Answers Index]]
[[Category:Andover Answers Index]]

Revision as of 17:56, 23 February 2021

  • According to tradition, the land comprising both the North and South Parishes of Andover was purchased from Cutshamache, the Sagamore of Massachusetts, for six English pounds and a coat. This event is commemorated in the town seal, which was officially adoped at the annual meeting on March 5, 1900. It is generally believed that the new seal was designed by Leonard Sherman, a local artist, photographer and nature writer. However, there were no Native Americans in New England tribes that ever wore such an elaborate headdress.
  • The original town seal included just text: the town name, state, and date of incorporation.
  • In 1895, John E. Whiting, a local jewler, designed a porcelin pin depicting the sale of the land that was to become Andover from the Indians as a souvenir for the Town's 250th anniversary.
  • A banner was also commissioned using the same picture. Andover's 250th Anniversary Banner
  • For the Town's 350th anniversary, the Town requisitioned a painting of the seal for the selectman's meeting room. Kristoffel Meulen, then a high school senior, was chosen.
...From 1/30/2014 Townsman.... click to enlarge
...Cocoanut and Decoration Day.... click to enlarge
...Advertisement for JE Whiting's Souvenir Pin



See

  • There is a color picture of the seal on the Andover Finance Report for 1976.


--Eleanor 12:39, July 13, 2007 (EDT)

back to Main Page