As their memories fade into sepia tones like old photographs of childhoods spent working the farm and visiting relatives, the Nunes sisters of River Road, Dottie (Nunes) and Kathy (Hohne), and their cousin Adele Raphael discussed their growing-up years in Mattapoisett via cell phone.
A high point of those years on River Road was the season of summertime feasts and gatherings held at the Holy Ghost Grounds off Park Street. As of 2024, the historical consultant working on the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s survey of Mattapoisett’s historical/cultural assets has designated the grounds a “priority one” location.
The Nunes descendants are proud to note that their family members were integral members of the now-defunct Holy Ghost Club. Dottie recently shared the original citation granting the organization status as a corporation for the “… purposes of promoting social, instructive and humanitarian progress …” as the Holy Ghost Club of Mattapoisett. What followed were many decades of clambakes and joyful gatherings for people whose overall impact of developing Mattapoisett can’t be denied.
From a quick tour through the book “The Early Portuguese Settlers in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts” (Lulu.com 2009) by Nathalie Sylvia Hemingway, we found confirmation that the Holy Ghost Grounds was used as a seasonal meeting place, a place to celebrate religious feast days, and a place where family and friends gathered to rekindle and maintain relationships that cemented primarily Portuguese decedents to their culture and a flourishing community.
But all things come to an end.
As the original signers of the corporation passed into history, younger descendants did not come forward to continue traditions that the grounds were famous for – food, fun and faith. The corporation sold the property to the YMCA, which later sold it to the Town of Mattapoisett in 2016. Those 5-plus acres are now being evaluated by the town’s reuse committee for newer uses as determined by public input.
On March 7, the committee met. There was discussion regarding what has been achieved thus far, a public survey and a public meeting, both of which gave the public the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas on reuse options.
Shifting through the data collected thus far, the committee will be preparing a master plan that will be presented to the Select Board. They believe one major takeaway is that the community wants a thoughtful but measured approach to reuse options. Passive recreational pursuits such as a walking trail and playground seem to be favored for now.
In January, the committee reported, “A survey that generated some 550 responses (primarily from full or part-time residents) was held between August and September. The survey gauged respondents’ positive or negative views on different activities, resulting in a healthy response from a wide range of age groups.”
Ray Hanks, chairman of the newly formed Cemetery and Memorials Committee, said it was important to maintain Barlow Cemetery, which is located within the property. Rachel McGourthy, chairman of the Historical Commission, said that the commission was in the second phase of identifying historical assets in the town and that the Holy Ghost Grounds was on the “priority one” list.
Chairman Mike Rosa pointed out that the reuse committee was charged with producing a report that would give the board, “…ideas, costs and who the stakeholders are.”
The next meeting of the Holy Ghost Grounds Reuse Committee is scheduled for April 4 at 6:00 pm.
Holy Ghost Grounds Reuse Committee
By Marilou Newell