The History of Chesapeake Seafood House

Sept. 20, 2012 - PRLog -- In 1857, John McGredy bought the five acres on which this house stands for $1000. The house was then built shortly after this, and John McGredy lived here till his death in 1890. Mrs. Grace Bullard Colby now recalls that there was a great number of peach tress near the house and believes these was a large nursery here.

The widow McGredy sold the house and 5 acres in 1893 for $10,000 to William H. Colby who named it Hazelwood. It was to become the scene of may fine parties and social gatherings.

The life of Judge William H. Colby is the great American success story. He lost both parents by the age of 13 and, penniless. found his way from New York to Springfield. He was employed by George Bergen whose farm was across the road from this house and is now Bergen Park He worked hard and on rainy days secretly studied law books, hiding them in a wheat bin. He was to become prominent as a lawyer, city attorney and probate judge. His family lived here until 1912.

For the next forty years the house passed through many hands and from 1955 to 1984 was occupied by the Crifasi family.

In 1984 the house wa purchased by the Joslins which reopened it under the name of “Chesapeake Seafood House” which specializes in fresh seafood from all over the world.

There is a fine lawn with stately old trees where departing guest may linger and perhaps imagine the old Bergen homestead with a young man reading Blackstone on a raining day.