Lovejoy Bridge over Ellis River at South Andover

Lovejoy Bridge (1867)

A Brief History of Andover, Maine

Andover, Maine was first settled in 1789 by Ezekiel Merrill, a Revolutionary War veteran, who came with his wife and seven children from Andover, Mass., having stopped along the way at Fryeburg and Bethel. He and his three sons drew their modest belongings on hand sleds through the woods on a trail spotted by the Indians. Later, Mrs. Sarah Merrill and the rest of the children were brought up the Ellis River in birch-bark canoes by the local Indians. Their daughter, Susan, was the first white child born in Andover, on July 13, 1790. The Merrill house, still owned by descendants of Ezekiel and Sarah Merrill, stands high on a hill on the east side of the Ellis River, about one-half mile east of the village. It was the location for a recent movie, "Myth of Fingerprints."

Prominent Indians who helped the Merrills and other settlers become established were Mollockett and Natallock.

The second settler was Enoch Adams, a surveyer from Andover, Mass. He surveyed the town and copies of his original maps and records are held by the Andover Historical Society.

By 1791, other settlers started moving in, including John, Jonathan and Philip Abbott; Ingalls Bragg; Theodore Brickett; Jeremiah Burnham; Abiel Lovejoy; Benjamin, Ebenezer, Samuel, Sylvanus and Thomas Poor; Luther Rice; James Stevens; Francis Swan; Josiah Wright; and others from Andover, Mass. and surrounding towns. The first mill was erected in 1791 by Colonel Thomas Poor at Andover Falls. The first church was formed in 1804, and in 1806, the first settled minister was the Reverend John Strickland.

Because Maine was a part of Massachusetts at that time, Andover, Maine was incorporated as East Andover, Mass. on June 23, 1804. It became Andover, Maine on June 13, 1820 after Maine became a state, and is located in Oxford, County, which was established March 4, 1805.

The first settlers were farmers and woodsmen. Farming has declined in popularity, but forest products are a mainstay of the economy. Several wood-working mills are located in town, and many local citizens work for or supply pulp wood to The Mead Corp., which is located in nearby Rumford.

Tourism is also an important part of the economy. Andover offers four-season recreation, including hunting, fishing, boating, skiing, snow mobiling, hiking on the Appalachian Trail, which passes through the western edge of town, and just plain sight-seeing.

Andover has two churches, two general stores, two restaurants, three B & Bs, a mail order XC ski shop, a race car manufacturing shop, several other small businesses and one very photogenic covered bridge.

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