Community Corner
Then And Now: Willow Castle
Each week, Lynnfield Patch runs a photo from the files of the Lynnfield Historical Society and talks about what's there today.
A couple of weeks ago in this column, I made a passing reference to Willow Castle, which was built in 1680 approximately across from where Essex Street meets Main Street. Along with being the home of the Gowing family, the place was later apparently the home of Thomas Wellman, author of the history of Lynnfield books who has been regularly cited in this website's history articles.
Personally, this is my idea of the perfect house - well over 300 years old, surrounded with a fair amount of land, and with a connection to the Revolutionary War. And this picture is just great from the perspective of a history enthusiast. The photo is of such a long-ago moment that the people shown almost seem unreal. Or maybe surreal. Or possibly even like a couple of them have hidden muskets or shotguns on them.
And call me crazy, but maybe I just like this photo so much because for some reason it reminds me of the cover photo of the classic "American Recordings" CD released by Johnny Cash late in his career.
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