SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — Patch has been publishing periodic throwback columns, entitled Picture ______, Then And Now, in various north-central Connecticut towns for a number of years. However, last week’s old photo of Spring Pond in South Windsor elicited one of the highest response rates of any entry in the series.
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More than three dozen readers weighed in with their memories of the Pleasant Valley Road site after seeing an image from a magnificent picture book called Images of America: South Windsor, compiled in 2017 by Claire Lobdell for the Wood Memorial Library & Museum.
Originally opened in 1940, Spring Pond was a privately-owned swimming hole and ice skating pond on the banks of the Podunk River on Pleasant Valley Road. It was operated for many years by Elsie and Ephraim Cowles before being sold by their heirs to the town and converted into a pool.
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In 1965, the site was christened Veteran’s Memorial Park. A large monument honoring all veterans was erected; later, smaller granite monuments were added, honoring South Windsor residents who perished in action.
Here are some of the comments made by South Windsor Patch readers (no spelling corrections were made):
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“Cool old picture of a place that had so much life and personality. Most of us spent our summers there late 60’s and 70’s. That new picture is scarily sterile looking. Growing up and living the Woodstock generation was truly a gift.” – Jerry Leathers
“Swimming lessons, pollywogs, pinball machine, frozen Snickers bar on a stick, and hours of fun all summer long.” – Diane Boxer
“I remember Spring Pond. Dad met us there almost everyday after work and we had dinner on the banks opposite the diving boards. And we weren’t allowed on the far bank where all the older kids hung out. I also remember catching frogs near the outlet area.” – Bradford Leonard
“Learned to swim here. Damn it was cold first thing in the morning.” – Michael Nowak
“Spent every summer there as a kid back in the 80’s and 90’s! My parents signed my brother and I up for swim lessons that were held in the early morning and yes…those mornings the water was freezing! So many great memories there and I miss those days!” – Sarah Bowman-Zemantic
“So many great memories there in the late 40’s & 50’s. Grew up just up PV Rd from there. Remember meeting the great boxer, Willie Pep, on the “beach” there. Showed us how to shadow box.” – Jim Roberts
“They used to have a fishing derby at Spring Pond; and back in the 80’s they also allowed ice skating there.” – Bob Sauer
“We lived on Parkview Dr for a bit and used to walk there, through the woods. We also swam in the dirty pond right behind Spring Pond.” – Michael Stelmat
“I remember diving off the top board and my head got stuck in the muck on the bottom!!” – Janet Padegimas Hill
“Many happy memories. Robert, Art Spielman and I swam there in the 40’s. We took swimming lessons there also.” – Janet Prior
“I was a lifeguard and taught swimming lessons there during college 1970-73. Fond memories!” – Peter Dubay
“Was closed one summer due to the polio epidemic.” – Maxine Boxer Rothman Lubow
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