Paul Ellis' tavern, situated on the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike between Boston to Providence (now Washington st), brought stagecoach passengers and their drivers to his door and tap room regularly. A large hook on a post in front of the tavern allowed drivers to throw their reigns over easily when they arrived and also became an easy place to hang mail or other articles without needing to stop, saving the drivers time. Soon, drivers started calling the tavern "The Hook" and before long the nickname was applied to the area around Norwood's present Town Square. This article goes into more detail about the history of the Tavern and mentions some of the events that occurred there, including a gruesome murder/suicide (which will be the subject of an article on this page a few days from now) and a visit from a US President. The structure was known by many names over the years, including "Ellis' Tavern", "Hartshorn's Tavern", "The South Dedham Inn", "Norwood House" and "The Norwood Hotel". The Tavern was moved on #thisdayinnorwoodhistory in 1913 to the intersection of Nahatan st and Broadway, approximately where Santander Bank is today. The construction of the George T Lee Bridge and the extension of Nahatan st under the railroad tracks wouldn't happen until 1935, over 20 years later.
Norwood Business Association Votes On Names For Norwood Square-This Day in Norwood History-February 6, 1903
Norwood's town square was once known locally as"The Hook". The name came from the iron hook that hung in front of Paul Ellis' tavern, shown here on the left. Norwood … Continue reading Norwood Business Association Votes On Names For Norwood Square-This Day in Norwood History-February 6, 1903
Old Home Week Recap-This Day In Norwood History-August 1, 1902
Today's article is a recap of the first Old Home Week, held in 1902. The article includes a lengthy speech by Norwood historian and home-builder Milton H. Howard, in which he discusses Aaron Guild and the dedication of the monument to Captain Guild as well as his thoughts on the patriotic spirit of both Norwoodians and Americans. A list of Old Home Week participants was also compiled. During the evening portion of the event, a supper was held at the Universalist Church. Chairman Frank A. Fales delivered a speech and Rev Theon Brown read a poem he had written about returning to his boyhood home. The evening concluded with a historical address by Milton Howard, who used a stereopticon to show portraits of many past and present figures from Norwood and images of places and buildings in Norwood, both old and new. It's quite an interesting read!