Arts & Entertainment

Then And Now: Suntaug Lake, 1902

Each week, Lynnfield Patch runs a photo from the files of the Lynnfield Historical Society and talks about what's there today.

This website has always highlighted the beautiful open spaces of Lynnfield by regularly running outdoor photo galeries and user-submitted photos. However, outdoor photography has been going on in Lynnfield - with equally good results - for more than 110 years now.

This image shows Suntaug Lake back in 1902. And I think it's a beautiful shot. It's elegant and artistic, and it almost reminds me of one of those early Ansel Adams shots they just had on display over at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. For some reason I wonder if the photographer was out on a canoe or something at the time. I'm also thinking that the land on the right hand side of the photo may be the island out on the lake.

Either way, there is , that demonstrates how even as things have changed all around it, Suntaug Lake remains one of the town's finest scenic spots.

In an interesting side note, while researching a "Then And Now" column from a week or two ago, I learned that a century or so ago (give or take a generation), there was a winter ice harvesting operation on Lake Suntaug - and there was also apparently a railroad spur leading to the present-day Route 1 area that was used for sending the ice to points beyond Lynnfield. I have a photo of the old ice operation and some other historical information that will run later in the winter.

Also, a previous "Then And Now" showed a photo of a bandstand that in 1933 stood close to where the railroad spur would have stood, although it doesn't look like they were there at the same time.

Find out what's happening in Lynnfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.



Each week, these photos are provided by the Lynnfield Historical Society. Are you interested in joining them? Just send a $15 check to Bob Gillon, Lynnfield Historical Society Treasurer, 300 Main Street, Lynnfield, MA 01940. Include your mailing address, email address and phone number.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here