Community Corner

Cannon Ball House Aims to Reopen in Fall

The Springfield Historic landmark is currently undergoing repairs.

The Springfield Historical Society held its annual meeting on an appropriate date; the Sunday before the 230th anniversary of the Battle of Springfield. 

The meeting took place in, and was largely about, the Cannon Ball House. The Morris Ave. historical home got its name during when it came under cannon fire during the Battle of Springfield. A ball lodged in the side of building and stayed there until it fell out during the 1920s. 

While it's been a while since it's taken a hit like that, the house is currently undergoing some repairs.  

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"There is some work that has to be done inside the house," Springfield Historical Society President Margaret Bandrowski said, explaining that they were not satisfied by the work recently performed on the floors by a contractor.

Otherwise, though, Bandrowski said, the house is in great shape and the historical society is looking forward to hopefully reopen in the fall following a two-year period where the museum largely ceased operations.  

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"We are able to reopen now," she said. "The summer is a bad time."

They are taking advantage of the delay to consider rearranging and refreshing things inside the house, including possibly rethinking some of the exhibits.

"The house is a really interesting place," Bandrowski said. "It's really eclectic.  Things have been donated throughout the years."

The house was originally furnished by high school students in the early 1970s who paid for the project through grant money. Since then, a number of items have been donated, including, most recently, a cannonball found in Union that may date back to the Revolutionary War.  

The donated décor illustrates the small scale of the house's operation. When it reopens, the public can tour four times a year (the house has been and will continue to be open by appointment for families and small groups.)

Bandrowski said she hopes the community continues to support the historic house, and hopes to reach out to that school students, Boy Scouts and other parties interested in fulfilling community service requirements to volunteer as junior docents, or tour guides. 


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