The History
The History
The stately building in the hamlet of Springfield Center has gone by many names – it has served as Town Hall, Masonic Lodge, Social Service Guild, Opera House, and a restaurant called The Pied Piper, among other incarnations.
Details
Layers of architectural details tell the story of a building with many lives, but its primary function has been to serve as a gathering place for the community.
Mysteries
It is said that the 1903 corner stone was laid sometime after the building was originally built, and that a time capsule containing mementos of the Victorian era may be buried within it.
Around Springfield
A pictorial history of the Town of Springfield, NY authored by Nancy Einreinhofer and Suzanne Goodrich, the book Images of America – Around Springfield is available through the Springfield Historical Society.
Regarding the building known as “Town Hall”, the book states, “The construction was supported by Leslie Pell Clarke and Andrew Smith. The building was 42 wide by 72 feet long. The first floor was to be used as an opera house where various entertainments took place, including minstrels, talent shows, and dances. School plays and graduations were held there as well. The second floor would be for gatherings of the Masons and the Ladies of the Eastern Star.”
Historic photographs courtesy of the Springfield Historical Society.
