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

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The Old Town Hall is also known as the Old Town House and The Townhouse.
1899, the General Court of Massachusetts passed a law requiring that all cities and towns establish a town seal that should be managed by the respective Town Clerks.<ref>For Every Seal a Story: Town and City Town Seals in the Commonwealth</ref>
{{reflist}}


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. 




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>
*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.
Land $2,000.00<br>
*The original town seal included just text: the town name, state, and date of incorporation.
Building $13,541.16<br>
*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.
Furniture $1,474.10<br>
* A banner was also commissioned using the same picture. [https://andoverma.gov/261/Andovers-250th-Anniversary-Banner Andover's 250th Anniversary Banner]
Celebration $105.90<br>
* 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.
Total Expense: $17,122.16<br>


[[Image:TownofAndoverPlainSealAnnualReport1898.PNG|thumb|...''Plain Town Seal from the 1898 Annual Report''.... click to enlarge|left]]
[[Image:seal.jpg|thumb|...''Andover's most familiar town seal''.... click to enlarge|left]]
[[Image:JEWhitingSouvenirPinATM 5 1896.PNG|thumb|...''Advertisement for JE Whiting's Souvenir Pin''|left]]
[[Image:JEWhitingSouvenirPinPrivateCollection.PNG|thumb|...''Souvenir Pin from a private collection''|left]]
[[Image:350thAnniversarySealKristoffelMeulen.png |thumb|...''Seal Painting Created for the Town's 350th Anniversary by Kristoffel Meulen''|left]]


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.
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During WWII, the second floor was subdivided into office space.  Several plans to raze the building were thwarted in the 1950s and 1960s.


==References==
{{reflist}}


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.


See
*"New Town Seal," ''Andover Townsman'', March 9, 1900. [[Media:New_Town_Seal_ATM-1900-03.pdf]]
* [https://archive.org/details/annualreportofto1901ando/mode/2up Town of Andover Mass, Annual Report. 1901] ''Reflects vote to formally adopt new seal''
* [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.
* [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.
* [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.
* [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.
* ''Andover's Town Seal (Editorial)'' Andover Townsman May 22, 1975 [[Media:AndoversTownSearlEditorial.pdf]]
* ''Medallion to be offered'' Andover Townsman July 31, 1975 [[Media: MedallionToBeOfferedATM-1975-07-31.pdf]]
* ''Town Seal Won't Be Seen On Team Patch'' Andover  Townsman June 30, 1983 [[Media:TownSealWontBeSeenOnTeamPatch.pdf]]
* 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 ‎]]
* "Sealed with Historical Inaccuracies," ''Andover Townsman'', February 1, 2007.
* [https://www.andovertownsman.com/opinion/andovers-town-seal-tells-many-stories/article_827fd7bc-b69d-5ebf-bddb-636106bf54bd.html  Andover's town seal tells many stories], ''Andover Townsman'', January 30, 2014, p. 7.


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]]
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--[[User:Stephanie|Stephanie]] ([[User talk:Stephanie|talk]]) 16:57, 23 February 2021 (EST)
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"]]
*''Andover Advertiser'', September 4, 1858.
*''Andover Advertiser'', November 20, 1858.
*''Andover Advertiser'', December 25, 1858.
*''Andover Advertiser'', January 1, 1859.
* "Andover considers ways to save old Town Hall", ''Eagle Tribune'', November 25, 1986.
* ''Andover Townsman'', April 27, 1989
* ''Andover Townsman'', May 4, 1989, p. 6+
*"Sentimental journey for hall", ''Andover Townsman'', July 21, 2005.
*"Roofing slate falls from Old Town Hall", ''Eagle Tribune'', January 18, 2008.
*"Falling shingle prompts emergency roof fix", ''Andover Townsman'', February 7, 2008.
*"Is there new revenue in Andover's Old Town Hall?", ''Eagle Tribune'', March 18, 2008.
*"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 ]
 
Andover Vertical File--Historic Houses--Town House
 
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--[[User:Stephanie|Stephanie]] August 28, 2019 <br>
--[[User:Glenda|Glenda]] 10:03, January 26, 2007 (EST)<br>
--[[User:Kim|Kim]] 16:32, March 14, 2012 (EDT)
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Revision as of 10:43, 24 February 2021

1899, the General Court of Massachusetts passed a law requiring that all cities and towns establish a town seal that should be managed by the respective Town Clerks.[1] 

Template:Reflist



  • 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.
...Plain Town Seal from the 1898 Annual Report.... click to enlarge
...Andover's most familiar town seal.... click to enlarge
...Advertisement for JE Whiting's Souvenir Pin
...Souvenir Pin from a private collection
...Seal Painting Created for the Town's 350th Anniversary by Kristoffel Meulen



References

Template:Reflist


See



--Stephanie (talk) 16:57, 23 February 2021 (EST)

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  1. For Every Seal a Story: Town and City Town Seals in the Commonwealth