Distances. Twenty-eight miles south from Concord, and forty- seven from Boston.
Railroad. Nashua and Wilton Railroad passes through this town.
ANDOVER.
Merrimack Co. The surface is uneven, being broken by hills and mountains. The soil, in many localities, is strong, and when prop- erly cultivated, yields excellent crops. Not more than one third of the area of the town, or 8,456 out of 29,883 acres, is considered capa- ble of improvement.
Ponds and River. There are several ponds, the largest of which is Loon Pond. Its water is very pure, and the scenery around it is grand and picturesque.
Mountain. Ragged Mountain extends along the north part of the town; it is an eminence but little inferior to Kearsarge in height, but its name fully describes it.
There are several small villages, the post office names of which are East Andover, Potter Place, West Andover, and Andover.
Employment. The inhabitants are principally engaged in farm- ing; but manufacturing is an important branch of industry. Among the most important of goods annually produced, is paper, $20,000, shoe pegs $20,000, Hames $28,000, lumber $19,200; grain ground $19,100, cotton and woolen hose $10,000, besides lasts, weld- ing composition, and other small mechanical works. There are also blacksmiths, wheelwrights, carpenters, masons, painters, &c. The total value of goods annually produced, is $128,600. (See tables.) |
Resources. Productions from agriculture, $66,257; mechanical labor, $29,500; stocks, $17,500; money at interest, $28,401; depos- its in savings banks, $84,419; stock in trade, $33,400; from sum- mer tourists, $2,000; professional business, $20,000.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational, Rev. Howard Moody, pastor; Freewill Baptist, Rev. C. B. Griffin, pastor; Christain, Rev. A. II. Martin, pastor.
There are twelve schools, of which two are graded. Average length of schools for the year, fif- teen weeks.
Hotel. The Kearsarge House. Stages leave here on the arrival of the cars, in warm weather, for the Winthrop House, on Kearsarge Mountain, four miles distant. The scenery from the summit of this mountain is very fine, and visitors are largely increasing, from year to year.
First Settlement. Andover was first known as Emerisstown. In 1746 it was granted to Edward Brown and others, as New Britton, in honor of the captors of New Britton, in 1745, in which expedi- tion some of the grantees were engaged. June 25, 1779, it was in- corporated under its present name. The first inhabitant was Joseph Fellows, who came here in 1761. Among the deceased citizens who are remembered with respect by the inhabitants, can be mentioned Dr. Silas Barnard, the first physi- cian in town. He died June 25, 1795. Dr. Jacob B. Moore, a poet of some eminence, became a resi- dent here in 1796; died January 10, 1818. Jonathan Weare, Esq., a civil magistrate, and highly re- spected, died in 1816. Mr. Jona- than Noyes was' respected for his charitable disposition. Potter, |