The cold winter months in Canfield, Ohio during the mid-1970s bring back such endearing memories with my neighborhood friends.

Tucked behind my best friend Suzy’s home was an old weathered colonial house owned by the Kosling Family. Henry and Blanche, and their son Paul lived there. It was hidden among many lush and overgrown trees and settled on a small slope with a pond below. Some fallen trees and brush surrounded the water’s perimeter, naturally forming it into an ice skating rink.

As a casual passerby, you would never know the house existed. The only evidence was a small clearing for the long driveway off the main route in Canfield. It was a peaceful and surreal oasis for the kids who lived at the bottom of Dartmouth Ave. which was always lively and full of commotion.

Because thick growth surrounded the house, it was always quiet once we tromped back onto their property. It held almost a spooky vibe yet a calmness enveloped it. 

One of my favorite books I was reading then was Haunted House by Peggy Parish. To this day, I always relate the house in the woods owned by the Kosling family, to the foreboding house described in my favorite book. Yet, I have nothing but carefree recollections of our time spent there. 

We explored the Kosling’s estate each season, but my favorite was winter. We would bundle up from head to toe and skate on their pond..without skates. Maybe Suzy and my other bestie, Marnie did once in a while. I doubt I would have flipped my skates over my shoulder while trudging down the top of Dartmouth Ave. where we lived. But I definitely recall being on the pond, most likely, sliding around on my boots. 

We ate snow, sat on fallen trees, searched for pine cones, and explored that winter wonderland for hours. I remember playing in their space innocently like it was yesterday and Mrs. Kosling never shooed us away. We went home with wet mittens and red cheeks smelling like pine needles. 

I don’t think we knew back in the 70s that the house was built in the early 1800s by Judson W. Canfield. His grandfather, also named Judson Canfield, was the man our city was named after. The home is referred to as the Judson Canfield House. We simply called it Kosling’s Pond.

My memories of playing on their property will always be with me. To this day, Suzy is still my dear friend. Marnie died way too young in 2022. But those simple times will always put a smile on my face. Oh, my heart! Oh, such joy! 

To read more about Judson Canfield, click here.

 After the historical Judson Canfield House was abandoned in 2009, it was scheduled to be demolished by a developer. Thankfully, the Davidson Family purchased it in 2016 and did a complete renovation. It’s unbelievably gorgeous! Check out the video here!