In 1789 Ezekiel Merrill of Andover, Massachusetts, founded the town in Maine’s western mountains. In the 1830s he donated the land for the Congregational Church and its contiguous common. The church was built but few improvements were made to the common until the 1890s, when the town became a resort destination for fishing and excursions to the Maine wilderness. Although the designer is unknown, during that time the common was laid out, the bandstand built, and trees planted at irregular intervals. Later additions include an ornate fountain on a small knoll and three stone monuments honoring Andover war veterans.
The rectangular common, roughly ¾ of an acre, is located in the village center. Roads surround it on three sides, with the Congregational Church to the east. There is no formal barrier between the common and church; the common appears as the church’s side yard. Deciduous trees cover most of the common, with an expanse of open lawn near the bandstand. Edged only with two narrow sidewalks, there is no fencing or interior path system. Nearby buildings include small homes, a general store, and the former town hall/grange. The common has seen few changes over time, and is significant as one of the few in Maine dating to the 1830s.
