The first European arrivals to Lynn chose the beautiful Goldfish Pond area as their settlement in Lynn in 1629. The pond was then described as a muddy swamp and was used as a watering hole for cattle and pigs.
In the 1840s, it was stated that young boys in the Lewis Street area had visited a summer estate in Swampscott where the owner had left behind goldfish. The boys brought the fish home, only to have their mothers order the fish in the pond. The goldfish flourished in the pond and since then has been called Goldfish Pond. By 1870 the City would dig out the swamp to surround Goldfish Pond with a curbed walkway in the shape of a heart and create an island in the center of the pond. The 200 goldfish taken from the old pond were preserved during construction and replaced upon completion. Goldfish Pond became a popular spot for all citizens of Lynn in the early 1870B s with concerts, fireworks, swimming and ice skating. The Goldfish Pond Association, comprised of neighbors of the Pond, has steadily been improving the pond area since 1980, planting flowers and working with the City to make structural improvements as well as forming a crime watch. The GPA continues to keep the neighborhood and Goldfish Pond beautiful and safe in the B heart of the City.B
