the jog

Growing up in a small town is a funny thing.  It isn’t until you are much older, and maybe being a parent is part of it, that you realize why your parents chose to live in “podunk” and raise you in that little bit of nowhere you couldn’t wait to get out of.

I was born in Springfield, MA, but spent my childhood in Southwick, MA.  Known to some as “the jog” or “the notch”, much of the southern part of the town dips miles into Connecticut.  I grew up right on a street that was only a mile from the CT border.

As a REALTOR at Park Square Realty in the Greater Westfield area, I get to work in Southwick quite a bit, but I don’t always slow down to really notice the town. 

A buyer client of mine wanted to see several properties in Southwick last week and driving around town started to bring back memories of my youth in town.  Driving the side road that was a “short cut” to my street, I felt my instincts for where to hug the curves and  slow down kick back in automatically.  I passed the homes where my high school friends lived (and some of their parents still live) and loads of developments that were never there when I was young.

I showed a home for sale across from the Sofinowski Land Preserve, which is now protected land, but when I lived just down the road was still Mr. Sofinowski’s farm.  My sister and I used to love to ride our bikes down the hill near his farm and I always liked his sheep.

On this drive I could see the time stamp for when neighborhoods moved further out in to the southern “country” of town.   Peppered about the historic homes and farms, the multitude of raised ranch homes tell of the late 70’s and early 80’s.  The mini mansions came in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, many of them on what used to be tobacco fields.

The tobacco farm where I worked (yes I picked tobacco) is still there, although others are gone and turned into neighborhoods.  The Summer House is still there and thriving, although it is now a year round restaurant.  The Moto-Cross still causes traffic when the BMX races come to town

I should have known that I couldn’t be in town without being recognized AND that only my maiden name would be used.  As my client and I arrived at our last property for sale, I  was greeted with “hey, you are Lesley WEBER!”.

I live in Westfield now, but only a half mile from the Southwick line and I spend a lot of time with friends and my daughters enjoying my childhood town.  As a parent I now see what my parents were doing by raising a family in a small town like Southwick:  it is pretty, it is safe, it is quiet and it is still a community.

If you are looking to move to Southwick, MA I not only recommend it, but it would be my special pleasure to help you with your move.

tobacco barn photo courtesy of hilltowngal