18-Baywood Street
“Walkaround Gallery Tour ”

Aug. 22, 2001 - Talk with Neighbor - Nov. 16, 2002

On August 22, I rode my bicycle up to 18 Baywood, in Springfield MA, and stopped there to put air in my rear tires. Mr. C.A. Givens, a Department of Environmental Protection worker, came out to put items out for the trash and we talked. Mr. Givens said that he knew of the property and this is the story he told me.

I had found out from research at the Registry of Deeds that Grace B. NewHall sold the property in or about 1946 to Thomas M. and Helen M. Carney. They, in turn, sold the property to John J. Cavanaugh and Anne D. Cavanaugh in about January of 1954. After Mr. Cavanaugh died his widow Anne continued to live there. According to Mr. Givens, she lived in squalor most of those years and refused to let people go into the house. My research indicated that at some time Anne D. Cavanaugh sold the house to her daughter Theresa M. Cavanaugh, but retained the right to get rents or live there as long as she wished.

Mr. Givens indicated that "Anne D. Cavanaugh had some troubles with her kitchen sink leaking. So instead of fixing the plumbing - she would leave her windows open a little so she could throw the water out the window. She had cats and dogs in the house but never let them go out side and they "did their business" right in the house. This went on for year. Mr. Givens had lived for years near her and had helped mow her lawn at times and other odd jobs. As he got older he could no longer shovel her snow and mow her law. One cold winter day (with the windows still open to throw the water outside) the oil ran out in the oil tank and Anne D. Cavanaugh froze to death!"

"Shortly after the funeral her daughter, Theresa M. Cavanaugh, moved into the house. But she did not clean up any of the mess that her mother had left around. Now over 18 years of squalor had continued until the year 2000 when the city condemned the building and removed Theresa Cavanaugh for her own good.

"Mr. Givens said he had bid on the property when it went up for Tax Auction in November of 2000, but two young men kept raising the price until they had the high bid of $20,000. It must have been that they did not look a the property as when Mr. Givens went through the house with them they were appalled." They did not pay the $18,000 more and left the $2,000 down payment they had made with the city. The city took possession of the property again and now it is up for Auction Saturday. Mr. Givens said that siding should be changed to conform to the rest of the homes, but that the Asbestos siding that is cracked might be able to be replaced for a year or so. But he thought the tree in front should be felled as he was afraid of the dead limbs falling on his home. The place had been overgrown with brush that he had helped to cut and plans on putting a stockade fence between his property and this one. If someone does not fix the home after this auction, he is going to petition the city to have it torn down. He estimated about $10,000 in interior repairs such as a new furnace, water pipes, hot water heater, and electrical systems. Also the city estimates about $7,500 for a new roof and the chimney work."

I had looked around the property and have made a pacing out of the property assuming my shoes are about a foot long. I have tried to estimate all of this so the cost of things could be ascertained (roofing, floors, etc.). The debris is 3-4 feet thick and so the city could not tell if floors are ok."

I went away happy to of met Mr. C. A. Givens, and yet sad that it looks like there would need to be about $25,000 worth of repairs, and there is some question as to whether the smell can ever get out of the walls of the small home.

Before I left I tried to shut the back door. Mr. Givens said that people had been in the home and he was concerned that I fire might start there and endanger his home next door. This house went up for Auction in the fall of 2001 and a lady bid it up to $24,000. Then it was up for auction again April 2 of 2002.

This time the high bidder was $19,000. I don't know why they bid so much, maybe it is because of the land. I have discouraged from following through with this property and will see what else God has. But I would be willing to rehab this property if the purchase price was under or at $1000.