In 1878, the Providence Base Ball Association formed and began scouting around the city for a good location for "the best baseball plant in the country". Team directors visited the old Josiah Chapin farm on city's west side and decided that it fit all of the requirements for a baseball park. It was close to level, it was raised up a few feet from the surrounding roads, and it was easily accessible by street car.
Construction on Messer Park began on April 1 and took exactly one month to complete; the final nail was hammered a mere five minutes before the opening game got underway on May 1.
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