The North Andover Historical Society will open the Parson Barnard House on Saturday, August 1, for its monthly First Saturday tour, giving neighbors a free, drop-in look at one of the town's oldest surviving homes.

The house at 179 Osgood St., steps from the Old Center, will welcome visitors from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. No reservations are needed. Volunteer guides walk visitors through four furnished rooms that trace daily life from 1715 through 1830, covering the tenures of ministers Rev. Thomas Barnard, Rev. John Barnard, and Rev. William Symmes. The society's website lists children's activities on the grounds and in the adjacent barn.

Parson Thomas Barnard built the 2½-story wood-frame house after his previous home burned down. The society purchased it in 1950. It earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and became part of the North Andover Center Historic District in 1979. Wikipedia's entry on the house calls it "one of the most important First Period houses in New England" for its transitional architectural features and state of preservation.

The building has seen significant recent work. A Community Preservation Act grant funded interior restoration in 2024 and 2025, including replacement of the old furnace with heat pumps, window reglazing, hardwood floor refinishing, brick hearth repairs, and repainting of walls and trim, according to the society's website. Barn window and door repairs are planned for 2026.

The First Saturday series, sponsored by the North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, runs on the first Saturday of each month from April through October. The society noted there will be no First Saturday event at the Johnson Cottage in August.

Nearby, Weir Hill is getting some outside attention. Travel writer Madeline Carver included the 194-acre reservation at 65 Stevens St. in a July 18 roundup of 10 lesser-known Massachusetts hiking trails published on TakingTheKids.com. The Trustees of Reservations manages the property, which offers four miles of trails along Lake Cochichewick's shoreline and up through rare barrens habitat to hilltop views of the Merrimack Valley. It's open daily, dawn to dusk, free to all visitors.

Upcoming community events

  • Saturday, August 1 — First Saturday at the Parson Barnard House, 179 Osgood St., North Andover, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Free.
  • Monday, August 24 through Friday, August 28 — NAHS Summer Camp Week: North Andover Outdoors, 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, September 6 — First Saturday at the Parson Barnard House, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Free.
  • Thursday, September 10 — 2026 Lifetime Preservation Award Celebration honoring Peter Boynton, 6 p.m., North Andover Country Club.
  • Sunday, September 27 — Old Andovers History Shuttle Tour.