Spring Pond (Massachusetts) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spring Pond
Spring Pond Location in Massachusetts
Location	Essex County, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°29′45″N 70°56′49″W / 42.49583°N 70.94694°W / 42.49583; -70.94694
Basin countries	United States
Settlements	Lynn, Peabody and Salem, Massachusetts

Spring Pond is a beautiful pond in the United States. It is located where three cities meet: Lynn, Peabody, and Salem. People used to call it "Mineral Spring" or "Mineral Pond."

This quiet lake is a favorite spot for locals and visitors. They come to enjoy the camps, trails, and nature in the surrounding woods. Many people think it is one of the most scenic small lakes in Massachusetts. The pond and woods stretch from Spring Pond to Marlborough Road in Salem.

Long ago, a large estate called Fay Farm was on the edge of Spring Pond. The main house of Fay Farm became a hotel in 1810. At that time, people believed the springs here had special healing powers. Visitors came to drink the iron-rich water and hoped to get healthy. Some even worshipped the Greek goddess Hygeia, who was linked to health. Later, people visited just for fun. The hotel eventually became a private home.

Water flows into Spring Pond from underground springs. These springs are part of a large underground water source called an aquifer. Spring Pond is listed as one of Massachusetts' "Great Ponds."

Pond History and Boundaries

Spring Pond has played an important role in local history. In 1669, and again in 1793, the spring at Spring Pond was used to draw the borders between towns. This spring helped define the city limits for Lynn, Peabody (then called Danvers), and Salem.

In 1669, the spring marked the boundary between Lynn and Salem. Later, in 1793, Salem divided into new towns. The borders were then redrawn using the spring again. A stone marker with the letters L (for Lynn), P (for Peabody), and S (for Salem) is still in the pond today. This stone shows the old colonial dividing lines.

Around 1676, a Native American named Lo died near the pond. This happened near what is now the border of Lynn and Salem. Some stories say he was the first and only Native American to die in that area.

Before 1704, early settlers like Jacob and Elizabeth Allen owned land near the pond. It was then known as Lynn Mineral Spring Pond.

Crowninshield Family Connection

Around 1704, a German doctor named John Casper Richter Von Crowninshield moved to the hills near Spring Pond. He bought land from Elizabeth Allen, which was in both Salem and Lynn.

Many important people came from the Crowninshield family.

• George Crowninshield started a shipping business. His family built Crowninshield’s Wharf in Salem.
• Benjamin Williams Crowninshield was a United States Secretary of the Navy. He also served in Congress and the Massachusetts government. He helped start the East India Trade of Salem. A Navy ship, the USS Crowninshield, was named after him.
• George Crowninshield Jr. built and sailed a famous yacht called Cleopatra’s Barge.
• Louise E. du Pont Crowninshield helped save historical places in America. She was a founder of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Fay Farm and Its Legacy

In 1810, the Twin Springs Hotel was built near the pond. It was later known as the Mineral Spring Hotel. This hotel was part of the Crowninshield and Fay estates. People believed the iron-rich spring water had healing powers. Patients traveled far to drink the water. For a while, people even worshipped the goddess Hygeia there.

This "classical worship" hurt the hotel's reputation. It was later turned into a private summer home for Richard Sullivan Fay. From 1847 to 1865, Fay lived on a 500-acre estate around Spring Pond. This land was in Lynn and Salem.

Fay was a farmer, merchant, and manufacturer. He created an arboretum, which is a garden of trees. It was open to the public. He grew many rare and unusual trees and shrubs from around the world. Some of these trees were first brought to the United States through his estate.

Most of Fay's rare trees were cut down by a lumber company in 1910. However, some of his trees and shrubs still grow near Spring Pond today. In 1862, Fay even paid for an army company himself. This company was called the “Fay Light Guard.” They fought in several battles during the American Civil War.

Drinking Water Source

Spring Pond has been an important source of drinking water. In 1851, a 12-inch pipe was built to carry water from Spring Pond to Peabody. This pipe was 1600 feet long. The pond is about 40 feet higher than the center of Salem, so water could flow by gravity.

Spring Pond in Literature

Many writers and historians have written about the beauty of Spring Pond.

• Alonzo Lewis, Lynn's first historian, described the area as a "highly picturesque and romantic spot." He noted the "extensive pond" surrounded by "hills and wild woodlands."
• An anonymous writer in 1799 called it a "beautiful pond."
• Another anonymous writer described the "little lake" as "nestling so cosily and smiling so brightly between the thickly wooded hills." They noted the Lynn Mineral Spring Hotel was a "favorite summer resort."

These writings show how much people appreciated the natural beauty and peacefulness of Spring Pond.

Notable People Connected to Spring Pond

Many interesting people have lived near or visited Spring Pond.

• Alonzo Lewis: He was a writer, poet, teacher, and Lynn's first historian. He loved Spring Pond and wrote articles about the Mineral Spring Hotel and the woods around it. His book The History of Lynn included a section on the hotel.
• Casper Van Crowninshield: A German doctor who owned land near Spring Pond. He used his home as a quiet retreat. Important people like Cotton Mather visited him there.
• Cotton Mather and his father Increase Mather: Both were famous Puritan ministers. They visited the Spring Pond area. Cotton Mather wrote about his father's recovery from illness after drinking the healing waters of the spring. Cotton Mather's writings were very important during the Salem witch trials.
• Elias Trask: Born in Salem in 1679, his family's farm was next to Spring Pond.
• James R. Newhall: A writer and historian of Lynn. He was also interested in the Spring Pond area.
• William Bentley: A diarist from the early 1800s who wrote about his visits.

Increase Mather's Diary Entries

In 1724, Cotton Mather published a book about his father, Increase Mather. It was called Parentator or Remarkables of Dr. Increase Mather. In this book, Cotton Mather shared parts of his father's diary. These entries describe Increase Mather's recovery from sickness. He believed the healing waters of Mineral Spring Pond helped him.

Here are some parts from his diary:

• In 1670, Increase Mather returned to his church. He was still weak but felt that drinking the mineral waters would help him. He stayed in Lynn to visit the famous spring every morning.
• He wrote: "At the Waters, retiring myself under the Trees, I poured out my Soul before the Lord... I did humbly and believingly... betake myself unto God, and unto Jesus Christ, for the Healing of my Bodily Distempers." He felt joy after praying, believing he had "Prevailed for Mercy!"
• Another entry says: "At the Waters. There again the Lord enabled me with Tears... to pour out my Desires before Him for both Bodily and Spiritual Healing." He felt sure God would help him.
• He also wrote about meeting a "poor Godly Woman" named Mansfield. She told him she was "troubled at my condition" and "afraid, that I grieve the Good Spirit of God." Increase Mather felt her words were a message from God to him. He realized she was describing his own feelings. He then prayed for healing and strength to overcome his own weaknesses.

These diary entries show how important the spring was to people seeking health and comfort long ago.

|