Turner Park- A Photographic History

Turner Park on Williams Street has 84 acres of wooded terrain, two baseball diamonds, one softball diamond, walking trails and a two acre stream fed pond. It became a town park in the late 1960s.

Turner Park Pond, 2021

Most people would likely be surprised to hear this was formerly

the site of a busy restaurant.

Aerial View of Turner Park- 2021

The property has an interesting past that may not be well known today. The present park’s land was owned by the Springfield Turners. The “Turners”, derived from the German word “Turnverein,” were a social club formed in the late 19th century to promote German culture, physical exercise and liberal politics. A clubhouse and an informal German restaurant (Hofbrau) existed at the property starting in the late 19th century. “Turner Park” off Williams Street in Longmeadow, was the site of many outdoor outings by local businesses and organizations until the late 1960’s.

Early advertisements and photographs reveal that the popular restaurant was renowned for its shore dinners/clambakes, dance hall, and pleasant setting.