The Norwood Historical Society is pleased to offer this exhibit space to show off Norwood’s history and some of our collections. Please check back from time to time as we plan to offer new exhibits for you to enjoy!
We Still Call It Home: Norwood’s Neighborhoods
In the summer of 2022, The Norwood Historical Society sponsored seven neighborhood walking tours. Researched and written by Laurie Kearney and Linda Rau, this exhibit showcases the Swedeville, Germantown, South Norwood, Christian Hill, Guild Square and the Downtown neighborhoods, by exploring their unique histories.
George Bird: The Industrialist and his Legacy
When George Bird established his paper making company on the banks of the Neponset River on the South Dedham/East Walpole line in 1817, he probably never imagined that it would still be around today. His company and his family have been important local players for generations and yet so little seems to be written on him. This exhibit looks at George Bird’s life, his company, his family and the lasting legacies they have left behind.
The Tanneyhill & Diggs Families: Two Influential African-American Families in Norwood
Our latest exhibit features members of an extended family related through sisters Sadie and Addie Grandison, who moved to Norwood when they married Charles Diggs and Alfred Tanneyhill. A donation of photos and documentation from Judity Diggs Potter prompted further research by Cashman Kerr Prince. This online exhibit is developed from a display at the Morrill Memorial Library in February 2020.
The Printing Industry of Norwood: A Lasting Indelible “Ink” Mark in the Pages of Norwood’s History
Our second current exhibit is on Norwood’s printing industry, assembled by Laurie Kearney, a Public History graduate student from the University of Massachusetts Boston. For approximately 75 years, Norwood was home to several companies which was involved in the printing industry. Three bookmakers, an ink manufacturer, a book cloth maker, and even our tanneries, who provided materials for bookmaking, helped Norwood to become known as a printing center of the United States.