Town Explores Repairs for Historic Chapel of Saint Gabriel the Archangel
The Town of Norwood is taking steps to evaluate and restore the Chapel of Saint Gabriel the Archangel located in Highland Cemetery. The Norwood Historical Commission recently informed the Board of Selectmen that the 80-year-old neo-Gothic mortuary structure is in urgent need of refurbishing, offering to draft formal repair recommendations.
Following a summer inspection, Historical Commission Chairman William A. Gifford reported that the commission discovered “marked physical and aesthetic deterioration.” To tackle the project, the commission proposed a restoration effort modeled after the recent successful reassembling of the Tilton Carillon at Town Hall.
Town Manager John J. Carroll updated selectmen this week, noting that Building Inspector John E. Grover was actively investigating the building’s structural needs. A formal proposal to fund the chapel’s restoration could be placed before the annual town meeting the following spring.
Architectural Significance and National Register Bid-October 21, 1983
Gifford described the non-denominational mortuary chapel as “Norwood’s most outstanding historic and cultural property.” Donated to the town by the Lewis Day family in 1903, the building is an original design by renowned Boston church architect Ralph Adams Cram.
To secure its long-term preservation, the commission initiated steps to enroll the chapel in the National Register of Historic Places. Gifford explained that achieving national register status would heighten local awareness, establish a permanent upkeep plan to encourage greater community use, and significantly improve eligibility for federal, state, and matching preservation grants. Additionally, local fundraising drives were under consideration.
To ensure historical accuracy, Gifford noted that the prominent Boston architectural firm Hoyle, Doran & Berry—successors to Cram’s original architectural practice—had been contacted and expressed strong interest in consulting on the restoration project.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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