“The growth of any town or city is largely dependent on the character and expansive abilities of its industries and the character of the labor which these industries employ. Intelligent and educated labor is ambitious; it is made of the stuff that builds and creates; it enlarges its capabilities and forges to the front.”       Charles M. Thompson

By the early 1900s Norwood had come to be thought of as the “printing center of the United States.” Not only did they have two large printing companies and a small printing firm, but there was also a tannery that supplied leather for book covers, a company that made printing ink for newspapers, and a company that manufactured cloth for book covers.

The Norwood Business Association (pre-cursor to the Norwood Chamber of Commerce) believed Norwood was an excellent place to establish a new company. The railroad lines made commuting to Boston or to nearby towns easy, and provided a convenient way for companies to move their products. Fresh air and a bucolic lifestyle would be beneficial to employees and there was plenty of undeveloped land to build new homes and businesses upon. Plus, the town had excellent schools and churches, and offered a robust social life. The citizens and businesses of Norwood welcomed the idea of attracting new businesses to Norwood.

Click the links below to learn more:

How to Grow a Town –>

The Norwood Press –>

Plimpton Press: Book Making in its Entirety –>

Lock-Outs, Walk-Outs & Strikes –>

But What About the Women? –>

Holliston Mills: Wraps it up! –>

Extra! Extra! The Norwood Messenger –>

George H. Morrill Company –>

Day Street

Day Street

georgenhs Feb 1, 2026 3 min read

Day Street is one of Norwood’s richest historic corridors, home to some of the town’s most architecturally significant and culturally meaningful properties. Each house tells a different chapter of Norwood’s … Continue reading Day Street

Six white roses and photographs of victims are displayed at The Skating Club of Boston, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Norwood, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Norwood Mourns Skating Club Members-This Day in Norwood History–January 29, 2025

georgenhs Jan 27, 2026 10 min read

Norwood Mourns Skating Club Members Lost in Washington, D.C. Mid‑Air Collision January 29 now carries a solemn weight in Norwood’s civic memory. On this day in 2025, a mid‑air collision … Continue reading Norwood Mourns Skating Club Members-This Day in…

2025 This Day In Norwood History: Industry & Workplaces Wrapped

2025 This Day In Norwood History: Industry & Workplaces Wrapped

georgenhs Jan 5, 2026 7 min read

A year of factories, shop floors, printing presses, ice cream plants, car lots, tanneries, department stores, and every workplace that helped build Norwood’s identity. Norwood’s history has always been written … Continue reading 2025 This Day In Norwood History: Industry…

2025 This Day In Norwood History: Crime & Mystery Wrapped

2025 This Day In Norwood History: Crime & Mystery Wrapped

georgenhs Jan 3, 2026 6 min read

Some stories rise to the top because they’re gripping. Others because they’re tragic. And some because they leave behind questions that echo for decades. In 2025, Norwood readers returned again … Continue reading 2025 This Day In Norwood History: Crime…

2025 This Day In Norwood History: Community Traditions Wrapped

2025 This Day In Norwood History: Community Traditions Wrapped

georgenhs Jan 3, 2026 5 min read

A year of parades, pageants, celebrations, and the rituals that bind Norwood together. If 2025 had a theme, it was togetherness. Readers gravitated toward stories that captured Norwood’s shared traditions … Continue reading 2025 This Day In Norwood History: Community…