Name: Henry Ferland House

 Address: 2 -4 Haverhill Street

 Date: ca. 1910

 History: This house was built about 1910 when Haverhill Street was known as Orchard Street. At the time it was constructed there were already a number of houses in the area, particularly around the nearby intersection of Elm and Haverhill Streets. The earliest owner that has been identified is Henry Ferland, a farmer, who lived here by 1914. By 1918 the house was occupied by several people, indicating that it may have been separated into a multi-family property by then. The 1918 occupants included Odelon, Landry (percher), Alfonse Noelet (dentist), and Wilfred Noelet (bookkeeper). By 1925 Landry still lived here, along with Peter Lanlois, a salesman. Landry occupied the house as late as the 1930s when he was listed in directories as an insurance agent living here with his wife, Lucia.

 Address: 100a Haverhill Street

 Date: 1923

 History: St. Ann's Orphanage was constructed in 1923 by St. Ann's Church in Lawrence. It was designed by George Miville, an architect from Manchester, New Hampshire, to accommodate 300 children. From its inception until about 1955 the home was almost exclusively for children without one or both parents or those who could not be adequately cared for at home. During the Depression a few elderly women were accepted into the orphanage. In 1955 the number of elderly women was increased to 50 while the number of children was reduced from 130 to 60. In 1966 the population of the home was switched back to children, with the goal of providing care for emotionally disturbed children. In 1968 there were 48 children living at the home. The facility continues to serve as a treatment center but is no longer owned by the Archdiocese.

The adjacent former St. Theresa's school was established shortly after the orphanage to provide parochial education for the nearby parish of St. Theresa's, an offshoot of St. Ann's in Lawrence. It functioned as such until fairly recently. The building is now associated with the treatment center.

 Address: 129 Haverhill Street

 Date: 1921

 History: The Stephen Barker School was begun in 1921 to accommodate the growing junior high school age population in the south/central part of town. It was designed by architects Ashton, Huntress & Alden who were also responsible for additions to the Pleasant Valley and Howe Schools, the Methuen East End Fire Station (Swan & East Streets), and the 1923 Currier School.

 Address: 165 Haverhill Street

 Date: 1839

 History: 165 Haverhill Street is significant as a well conserved "country Residence", one of several handsome houses built at the periphery of the Methuen settlement in the mid 19th century. Reportedly, surveyor Stephen Barker built "Woodland Cottage" in imitation of antebellum mansions he had seen in the South. This property possesses integrety of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship, and meets the criterion of the National Register of Historic Places.

 Address: 256 Haverhill Street

 Date: c. 1870

 History: Based on the style of the house, it appears that 256 Haverhill Street was built about 1870. At the time it was built there was very little else in the immediate area. The earliest documented owner is L. Herman who is identified on the map of 1872 but about whom little is known. The house is most closely associated with the Cox family who has owned the property since about 1880. Patrick Cox, a farmer and butcher, owned the house from about 1880 until about 1905. In addition to the house and barn, there was a slaughterhouse and ice house on the property. By 1914 the house was occupied by George (laborer), Charles (janitor), and Raymond (butcher) Cox. It appears that around 1915 a portion of the land was set off and another family house was constructed to the east of 256 for George who continued the butchering business there (at that time Haverhill Street was known as Orchard Street and #256 was numbered 182). By 1921 256 Haverhill was occupied by Charles, who was then a milkman. Charles is listed in town directories as a farmer in 1935. Today the house is occupied by Vincent T. Cox.

 Address: 32 -36 Hawthorne Avenue

 Date: c. 1900

 History: The three-family house at 32-36 Hawthorne Avenue was built ca. 1900. At the time it was built, there were very few houses near the intersection of Hawthorne and Oakland Avenues. By 1930 these streets were densely developed, primarily with single-family dwellings on Hawthorne and multi-family houses on Oakland. The map of 1906 identifies the owner as the Reed Estate. Most of the early 20th century occupants of the house were mill workers or tradesmen. Between 1901 and 1938 occupants included Ambrose Turner (carpenter), Fred Carver (painter), Samuel Smith (mill operative), William Thom (farmer/carpenter), Sumner Wheeler (clerk), Carroll Pinkham (wool sorter), Thomas Parker (clerk), Fred Abrams (painter), Richard Sterndale (piping), and Ray Cox (mill worker).

 Address: 2 Highland Street

 Date: c. 1893

 History: The house at now at 2 Highland Avenue does not appear on the present site on either the 1872 or the 1884 atlases. It does appear on the site on the 1896 atlas, and was at that time owned by Charles H. Tenney. The description of an 1893 photograph in the Methuen Transcript, showing water pipe being laid on Highland Avenue, states that there were two houses at the top of Highland Avenue which had been moved. These houses can be seen on the 1884 atlas, but not on the 1872 atlas. According to the commentary, the house belonging to T. H. Fernald was moved away and the other (no name attached) was moved half way down the hill at the left side of the road and was then (in 1893) occupied by Mr. Gall, the gardener at Greycourt. This could be the house now located at 2 Highland Avenue, but the original photograph is not available and the poor quality of the microfilm copy precludes a positive identification. One impediment to this theory is the presence of the two houses on their original lots on the 1896 atlas in contradiction of the Transcript article.

Archibald Gall, gardener, is listed in the 1885 Directory as living on Pleasant Street near Highland and in the 1896 Directory at 67 Pleasant Street. Highland was part of the drive to Greycourt, so it may have been a private road at that time.

 Address: 89 Howe Street

 Date: c. 1900

 History: 89 Howe Street was built ca. 1900 in the neighborhood known as the "Fare Limit " on the street car line (after 1902). At the time, there were a number of houses in the immediate area and further north on Howe Street there were scattered farm houses along the street. The earliest known owner of 89 Howe is T. Benton Currier. Little in known about Currier except that he lived here for about ten years. By 1914 the house was occupied by Joseph Mello, a mill operative. Mellow resided here until at least 1938. Another mill worker, Philip Carpenito lived here after Mello (until at least 1948). This house is one of the more well-preserved in the area.

 Address: 195 Howe Street

 Date: 1913

 History: This house was built in 1913 for Harry F. Locke. At the time it was constructed, this section of Howe Street was fairly well developed. Further north on Howe Street were scattered farm houses. It appears that this house was constructed on land former part of the Taylor farm. Harry Locke was a contractor and may have constructed this house himself. Locke was living here as late as 1950, and his daughters still personally maintain the property. This house is a well-preserved grand mansion, of which there are few in Methuen.

 Address: 255 Howe Street

 Date: c.1920

 History: Directory research indicates that this house was built about 1920 for George Keighley. At the time it was constructed, there were a number of farm houses scattered along Howe Street. Land on which the house stands was formerly part of the Charles Tozier farm, and there is speculation that 255 Howe incorporates one of the farm's outbuildings. Keighley was a grocer who had a store at 96 Howe Street (also his former residence). He lived at 255 Howe Street (then numbered 101) into the 1930s. By 1938 the house was occupied by William W. Colman. Renumbered in the 1940s, 255 Howe Street has been occupied by the Moynihan family for many years.

 Address: 297 Howe Street

 Date: 1840

 History: The Perkins House is significant as an example of the development of architectural styles and residential building types along the early network of roads which characterized Methuen during the first two centuries of settlement. The occupants of such dwellings were usually farmers, supplying produce to Salem, MA and Newburyport or Lowell and Lawrence, or shoe and hat makers. Joseph Perkins, a 19th century owner of this house, was a farmer. The Perkins house possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship, and meets the criterion of the National Register of Historic Places.

 Address: 310 Howe Street

 Date: c.1870

 History: According to map research, this farm house was built about 1870 for William H. Jewell who is listed in town directories as a milkman and farmer. By 1923 the house was occupied by Anastasia Clement. The Clement family remained here into the 1930s. By 1942 it was owned by Michael Bogosian. As late as 1978 it was still in the Bogosian family. This house is more highly ornamented than most of Methuen's rural farm houses.

Last Updated 9/4/07

 

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