Tremont Street to St. Joseph Avenue

Tremont Street On November 5, 1954, the partially nude body of fifteen-year-old Geraldine Annesse was found in the garage of #13 Tremont Street. She had been raped and strangled. Early … Continue reading Tremont Street to St. Joseph Avenue

Oolah Avenue to St. James Avenue

Oolah Avenue Named after the Abdallahs – “Oolah” is Syrian for Nicholas. Over the years, this street has been the home to waves of immigrants – Irish, Polish, Lithuanian, Italian, … Continue reading Oolah Avenue to St. James Avenue

Points of Interest: South Norwood’s Changing Street Scape

Map of South Norwood showing were some of the major employers were located. An easy walk away. (Source: Mapcarta.com - edited by LLKearney) To travel from one end of South … Continue reading Points of Interest: South Norwood’s Changing Street Scape

Norwood’s Portuguese Immigrants

The Portuguese began arriving in Massachusetts in the late 1800s, many coming from fishing villages in the Azores. They created Portuguese communities in Boston and Cambridge. In the late 1950s, … Continue reading Norwood’s Portuguese Immigrants

The Ethnic Groups that Called South Norwood Home

South Norwood was a multi-ethnic neighborhood. Immigrants from Syria, Poland, Lithuania, and Italy first settled here; followed later by people from Portugal, Brazil, Egypt, and Ecuador. Like the residents of … Continue reading The Ethnic Groups that Called South Norwood Home

Maps of South Norwood

Looking at maps of the area helps to illustrate how South Norwood grew. Two 1876 Maps show house lots on the (Upper South Norwood) end of Washington Street beyond the … Continue reading Maps of South Norwood

South Norwood: A Bustling Multi-Ethnic Neighborhood

1887 photograph of South Norwood, labeled "Morse Village" the Guild School is visable on the left of the picture. (from Picturesque Norwood) South Norwood was a largely undeveloped area when … Continue reading South Norwood: A Bustling Multi-Ethnic Neighborhood

Swedeville: Välkommen! Tervetuloa!

The Plimpton Press is one of the businesses attracted to Norwood. A map of Swedeville. When Norwood was established in 1872, it was largely an agricultural village. Town planners who … Continue reading Swedeville: Välkommen! Tervetuloa!

Points of Interest: Main Streets and Interesting Places In Swedeville

Four family building on Savin Avenue. (photo LLKearney)             The house lots in Swedeville, when originally sold, were empty lots, ready to have a house constructed.  What kind of house, … Continue reading Points of Interest: Main Streets and Interesting Places In Swedeville

Savin Avenue: The Neighborhood Expands

Looking down Savin Avenue towards Chapel Street. (photo LLKearney) In May of 1899, Melville Smith bought approximately eight acres from Clara Robbins, the widow of John Robbins, and within a … Continue reading Savin Avenue: The Neighborhood Expands