Mason Square/Winchester Square/Winchester Park
Mason Square/Winchester Square/Winchester Park
Winchester Square Fire Station
Photo added by Ralph Slate
I am doing some research on this venerable piece of land and am trying to figure out when the names were changed. This is what I know.
Primus Mason bought the land in 1850 for $25 and sold it to the City in 1860 for $60 with restrictions that it had to always be used for public purposes. In 1885 Mason removed the restrictions for $1 from the City so that the City could build a Fire Station there. Fire station was built by W.H. Buxton for $16,000. Original tower on the fire station was removed in 1915 during a major remodeling
At this time (1885) Mason offered to sell another parcel behind the current Fire Station for $50 so they would have more land for the Fire Station but the City turned him down. Land became part of Hendee Manufacturing.
The remainder of the land the City owned, having been Masons, was named at this time Winchester Park after Mayor Charles A. Winchester who had been Mayor from 1868-69. Winchester was a lawyer who was described as a “careful painstaking excellent Mayor” and that his “death at the prime of his life was a great loss to the City ”
Mason died in 1892 and left an estate of $37,700, $33,000 of which was used to start the Home for Aged Men, now the Mason Wright Home.
My questions are: When did Winchester Park have its name changed to Winchester Square? Was it done formally and by what decree? What had Mayor Winchester done in his brief Mayoralty 15 years before that warranted the park being named for him? Do you know anything about Winchester? I had read somewhere that the name Winchester was used as an English reference to go along with the fancy names being used by the McKnights who were doing development in the area. I think this contradicts this theory.
What was the date of the change from Winchester Square to Mason Square in honor of Primus Mason and who had initiated that and seen that it was done.
Sources: Highland Community 1921, Published by Highland Co=Op Bank and Kings Handbook
Mason Square more info
Looked at some old maps and Atlas I have and discovered curious things. The 1882 Geo Walker Atlas has a page called the McKnight Improvement. On this map it has Winchester Park. On an 1884 Map I have it has Winchester Park. The 1899 City Atlas has Winchester Park. The 1910 LJ Richards Atlas has it as Winchester Square and does the 1920 Atlas.
So, was the history written in the Highland Community book wrong about the park being named in 1885 for Mayor Winchester?
It is a reminder that what we consider history is a fluid thing and multiple sources are needed to determine accuracy.
Update Mason Square info.
Update 1/8/11
Charles A. Winchester was Mayor 1868-9 but had also been a School Committee member in 1850 and had voluntarily taken responsibility as Superintendent as a volunteer for a while and was greatly appreciated.
Primus Mason sold the land to the city for $65 in 1860. Though this seems like very little money, at the time it was significant. Mason had paid $50 for it 10 years earlier.
The Municipal Register of Springfield says the following as far as the name is concerned:
1889 p344 “Winchester Triangle”
1905 p553 Last report that” Winchester Triangle” is used
1906 p 589 “Winchester Park”
1907 p635 “Winchester Square”
Historical Survey of City Departments: Park Department and Forest Park: Chronological dates in the growth of the Parks Department.
1821 Land purchased for a square near Court Street (becomes Court Square)
1868 “Winchester Park” acquired
1872 “Winchester Park” improved. Named for Charles Winchester under whose Mayoralty land was acquired
1902 “Winchester Triangle” is in poor shape, replace brick walk with cement
What is really interesting in all this is that Winchester Triangle/Park/Square was really the first public park in the city after Court Square was created in 1821. The next park was not until 1882 with Benton Park on State St.
The name” Mason Square” started to be used with the creation of the Mason Square Development Corporation in 1987 as part of the revitalization of the area. Citizens said the renaming was “to honor an illustrative citizen and to correct a 100 year old slight”.
Mason Square history
Excellent job, Jim! Thanks for sharing your research. I remember the name being changed from Winchester to Mason Square but it had seemed further back than 1987. Glad you could pinpoint it.
I have a number of diferant
I have a number of diferant pictures of Winchester Park,Square,Triangle.. Most all of them labled Park. Most all came off internet. Pictures are over 100 Yrs old. I can tell you how to get them or I can email them to you. Please reply to this if interested..
Winchester Square Photos
Would love to see what you have. either email at jimboone@hotmail.com or my address is 97 Florida St Springfield ma 01109 Thanks Jim boone
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