Benjamin Abbot House
9 Andover Street
Andover, Massachusetts
Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey/ - site includes more photos of the home, uncluding some interior shots, as well as floor plan drawings.
This home's age is up for debate. One of the oldest houses in town, the original date assigned to it was 1685. In recent years, some evidence has come to light to lead some to believe it may have been built as late as 1710. It is on the National Register of Historic Homes.
It is located on a very tricky part of Andover Street. When the snow is gone, I will be able to walk along the road and take better photos to show off the expanse of the barn on the left side, as well as a view from the back. It is clearly on the very edge of this busy through way.
Continue in the direction this car is coming from, and 50 yards beyond the right edge of this photo is the railroad bridge. Bear a sharp right onto Central Street, which will take you directly into downtown Andover, past the South Church, its cemetery, and Memorial Hall Library.
Across the street from this house runs the train tracks which currently services trains directly to Boston. Andover street, to the left of this photo, continues for miles, and leads you directly into the Historic Ballardvale section of Andover.
To the left of this photo is Argilla Road, and on the corner of that street, visible from where this photo was taken, stands the home of Thomas Abbot.
Benjamin Abbot was the 8th son of George Abbot. Benjamin's next door neighbor was Martha Carrier. It was Benjamin who accused Martha of cursing him during the witchcraft hysteria, leading to her ultimate fate on the gallows in Salem, MA. Martha's house is no longer standing.
_______________________________________
Photo taken by and copyright Jodi Salerno 2004-2008.
