Picture South Windsor - Then And Now

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — Today we make another excursion into a wonderful picture book called Images of America: South Windsor, compiled in 2017 by Claire Lobdell for the Wood Memorial Library & Museum. The book, containing 128 pages of fascinating photos from the town's history, is available for purchase at the library's museum store here.

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.

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 is a more contemporary photo of the property.

Do you have a photo of an old South Windsor business which no longer exists, to which you own the rights and which we could feature in this column? Email tim.jensen@patch.com.