SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Preservation Trust is inviting the public to a “Party at the Pond.” For this summer’s annual fundraiser. The organization is hosting an afternoon event at a private lakefront home tied to Springfield’s midcentury past.
For more than 50 years, the Springfield Preservation Trust has been advocating for and educating people about the historic houses and buildings in the city of homes. The organization usually hosts two fundraisers per year, with the summer fundraiser attracting between 50 and 100 people. Rather than its usual garden party, the trust was offered the use of the grounds at the Chapdelaine house at 154 Pondview Dr.
In the 1950s, Joseph Chapdelaine was the president of the Springfield company, Joseph Chapdelaine, Inc., which had a reputation as the “Builder of Fine Homes.” He partnered with architect James Fitzsimmons to build the 1954 home on Watershops Pond for himself and his wife, Florida. The ranch style was popular at the time and Chapdelaine’s company built many in the region.
Joseph Chapdelaine’s grandson, Ray Chapdelaine, now owns the family home, which sits on nearly two acres at a natural curve in the pond. Describing him as “a friend of the trust,” Kira Holmes, advocacy and community engagement coordinator for the trust, expressed thanks for the use of the grounds. The property features a fountain, shade trees and terraced lawns sloping down to the water’s edge. One unique feature of the grounds is the “totem pole” of animals. It was carved from an oak after a storm devastated the tree and left its tall trunk behind.
The fundraiser, on Aug. 23, at 1 p.m., will feature a silent auction, with items donated by several of the city’s businesses, including restaurants Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill and Lola’s in Longmeadow, as well as MGM Springfield. Holmes described the auction prizes as “wonderful experiences in and around Springfield.” She thanked the businesses and organizations that donated the prizes. Aside from the silent auction, the afternoon will offer refreshments of hors d’oeuvres, wines and sodas. Tickets are $50 for trust members and $60 for non-members.
The trust is the only independent nonprofit that advocates for Springfield’s preservation of iconic and historic buildings. Each year at its annual meeting, the trust identifies the “most endangered historic resources” in the city, Holmes said, adding that they may be on the list due to neglect or fire damage. Later in the year, the organization acknowledges and rewards projects that have in some way restored or preserved historic or iconic buildings in the city.
The trust has also become well-known for its Saturday Walking Tours, highlighting historic buildings and areas of Springfield, including those that played a role in the Underground Railroad, shepherding enslaved people north through Massachusetts. The trust also sponsors the Mattoon Street Art Festival.
“The trust can only do this work because of the public,” Holmes said. She said buildings can have several lives and still function as part of the community. “These properties are precious and once they’re gone, they’re gone. It’s crucial to culture. It’s crucial to identity.”
For more information about the Springfield Preservation Trust, visit springfieldpreservation.org.
