103 



large group of juniper trees, but for several years they 

 have been o^raduallv decayino^ — a few vet lin2:er amoiiir 

 the cottages, so few that one would hardly conjectiire that 

 this place derived its name from their presence. Hos- 

 pital Point and the land adjoining on the northern boun- 

 dary of the above, owned by the city, was set apart by an 

 order of the city council, adopted May 9, 1859, "to be 

 kept open and dedicated as a Pul)lic Square for the use of 

 the inhabitants of Salem forever, under such regulations 

 as the council shall from time to time establish." Tiiis 

 place has been known as "The Willows," from a double 

 row of willows planted about the beginning of the present 

 century, under the direction of Capt. Israel Williams. 



On the 8th of July, 1878, an ordinance was passed by 

 the council, and approved by the mayor on the day fol- 

 lowing, for " Ball Playing," assigning for this purpose a 

 piece of land enclosed as a part of the " Poor Farm," lying 

 west of "The Willows" so called, and running west and 

 including the rising ground to the western line of the fort. 

 On this land trees of various kinds have been set out, 

 and these grounds will probably be opened to the pul)iic 

 at no distant day. 



During the forenoon, an opportunity was afforded, to those 

 interested in our early history, of visiting the various places 

 of interest, and of recalling some of the old landmarks 

 that are now rapidly disappearing under the hands of 

 modern improvement. On Winter Island and other places 

 near by, buildings were erected, wharves constructed, 

 and vessels built for the purpose of carrying on th6 fish- 

 eries which flourished from an early period to 1735, when 

 it was entirely discontinued in this locality, and now 

 scarcely a vestige of this former occupancy and industry 

 remains. 



Previous to 1714, Winter Island was owned by the 



