The Barney Mansion completes the ’ÄúVictorian Village’Äù scene. It is a replica of Everett H. Barney’Äôs 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.¬Ý

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 ’Äúforever devoted to park purposes under the public parks act of the commonwealth,’Äù according to his will.¬Ý

ADDED: 1996