The Barney Mansion completes the ���Victorian Village��� scene. It is a replica of Everett H. Barney���s mansion, once known as the Pecousic Villa, but its often confused for an actual building. The original, built in 1883, was demolished in 1959 to make way for Insterstate 91.��

In 1890 Barney sold 109 acres to the City of Springfield for $1 per acre. When he died in 1916, he left the city his entire 178 acres valued then at almost a half a million dollars. The land was to be ���forever devoted to park purposes under the public parks act of the commonwealth,��� according to his will.��

ADDED: 1996