This is a postcard of Lake Massasoit from the campus of the International YMCA College (now Springfield College). It is postmarked 1924. The front of this postcard shows the lake and trees on the shores. The back of the postcard is filled with handwritten notes and sent to a Mrs. H. W. Millard. It seems to be written by a son to his mother for a check to pay for a course. 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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