This is a postcard of Watershops Pond, or as it is often referred to on the campus of Springfield College, Lake Massasoit. The front of the postcard shows the shore of the lake with a canoe on its bank. It is postmarked October 20, 1907. It is addressed to Mary C. Lancy and says, "Time you let us know how you are getting along down there." And is signed John. Lake Massasoit, also known as Watershops Pond, was formed when the Armory dammed Mill River to generate energy. As the City of Springfield’s second largest body of water, it features seven miles of shorelines. During the 19th century, the city built two bathhouses along the lake’s shore, but these were destroyed in 1920. Long a major site for fishing, Lake Massasoit features species such as the black crappie, bluegill, brown trout, chain pickerel, channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, and yellow bass. At different points in Springfield College's history, the students used the lake for rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming.
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