Pole Hill
Andover Conservation Commission
Site of turn-of-the-century dance hall

      Size: 34 acres

  Access: Pole Hill Dr. and Marland St., both off  Tewksbury St.

  Canoe access from Shawsheen River

  Parking: Pole Hill Dr.

History
   At the turn of the century, this area was known as "The Grove."

  It boasted a picnic area and a dance hall and attracted people from all over.

  The Boston and Maine Railroad even had a siding at Pole Hill to accommodate the dancers.

  There were three camps along the Shawsheen River, one of which served as a refreshment stand.
 

  When the river was higher, canoes could be rented in Ballardvale for a romantic paddle upstream to "The Grove."

  But Pole Hill's history is not only of good times; after a murder was committed here, the dance hall was closed for good.

  Though all the buildings are gone now, some evidence of Pole Hill's exciting past does remain.

  Search for part of the dance hall's walkway about three quarters of the way up the hillside, and look near the river for faint signs of an oval track used for foot races.

Natural Features
 Glimpse the river from the shady path.                                                               
 

  Tall white pines, with a new generation starting below them, surround the hill.

  The lack of undergrowth makes walking off the trail and up the hillside very easy.

  The hilltop is covered with ferns and dotted with small oaks, birches and white pines.

  Bounded by the Shawsheen River on the south, Pole Hill offers the chance to hear and see a variety of birds in the marshes on the other side of the river.

Suggested Walk
 Access from the circle at the end of Pole Hill Dr. is difficult as of this writing.

  Dense shrubs obscure the path between private yards, marked by a Conservation Commission sign.

  The rocky woods road is clear and easy to walk.

  Follow the road to the left as it curves toward the Shawsheen River and eventually reaches the MBTA railroad tracks.

  Just before the tracks, a narrower trail on the left leads to the end of Marland St.

  About halfway along this trail a path left leads to the top of the hill.

  To return, take the same path down or make your own route south to reach the woods road again.

  Canoe access from the Shawsheen is on the right going upstream from the Ballardvale dam, shortly after paddling under a beautiful stone arch railroad bridge.

  Open areas under the tall pines provide fine places for picnicking.