Mirror Lake and the Mirror Lake Skating Club

Mirror Lake was the site of the Mirror Lake Skating Club, beginning in 1934, when it was founded by a circle of friends that included (future) champion speed skater Carmelita Landry. The Club provided recreational opportunities for large numbers of children who, like Landry, were growing up in the Cleghorn neighborhood of Fitchburg. The district was sometimes called "Little Quebec" because of its predominantly French-speaking Canadian population.

During the summer, Mirror Lake still serves as a magnet for local residents wanting a cool natural setting and photogenic landscape. It is located in Coggshall Park, an important local amenity that was donated to the city by resident Henry Coggshall.

Now, the Park is also the home of another popular local sport: disc golf. Its disc golf course in the woods is very highly regarded and sought out by players from all over New England.

Carmelita Landry was a champion speed skater who made the sport popular in Fitchburg for many decades. Her heyday was in the late 1930's and early 1940's, so she was unable to participate in Olympic competition (she had intended to compete in 1944). However, this didn't stop her from winning 23 championships before her retirement in 1948, including the Silver Skates Derby and the National Speed Skating Championships. Another local speed skater from the Mirror Lake skating club was Arthur Longsjo, Jr., who competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics in 1956. Both are in the speed skating Hall of Fame.

This information was gathered at the Fitchburg Historical Society. It was researched and interpreted by FHS intern Ian Poyant, whose slideshow will be linked below.