The Naming of Norwood: A Story with More Questions Than Answers

Where did our wonderful town get its name?

The question of how Norwood received its name has intrigued residents for more than 150 years. It is one of those local mysteries that refuses to settle neatly. Despite careful research, no single explanation has ever risen to the level of certainty. What we do have, however, are several compelling stories- each plausible, each rooted in the memories and personalities of the people who shaped South Dedham’s transformation into the Town of Norwood.

What is perhaps most striking is that the name, though initially met with hesitation, quickly became part of the town’s identity. Whatever its true origin, “Norwood” has been embraced ever since.

A Name Without an Obvious Local Meaning

Unlike many New England towns, Norwood’s name does not appear to reflect its geography. There were no distinctive northern woods or forests that would have made the name an obvious choice. In fact, the lack of a clear geographic connection makes the story of its selection all the more intriguing.

On January 23, 1872- just months before formal incorporation- the residents of South Dedham gathered at Village Hall to choose a name for their soon‑to‑be independent town. Both voters and non‑voters attended, underscoring the significance of the moment. The name “Lyman,” previously floated, had gained little traction. Instead, the meeting produced a long and colorful list of possibilities: Ames, Balch, Cedarville, Day, Elgin, Fairfax, Glenwood, Elmwood, Oakland, Hook, Irving, Judea, Kingsbury, Montrose, Nahatan, Olney, Prescott, Queertown, Rumford, Seneca, Tiot, Unadilla, Vernon, Winslow- and Norwood.

After discussion, the list was narrowed to eight finalists. On the second ballot, “Ames”- honoring Fisher Ames, the prominent Dedham statesman- led with seventy‑four votes to Norwood’s forty‑six. But many in the hall balked at the idea of naming their new town after a figure so closely tied to Dedham, the very community they were separating from. When the third ballot was cast, sentiment shifted. “Norwood” received sixty‑five votes to Ames’s fifty‑nine. The moderator declared the result “unanimous,” though the closeness of the vote suggests a more spirited contest.

Theory One: A Name Inspired by Literature

For decades, many Norwood residents believed their town was named after Norwood; or, Village Life in New England, a novel by the famed preacher and writer Henry Ward Beecher. First serialized in the New York Ledger and published in book form in 1868, Beecher’s story depicted a quintessential New England community during the Civil War- a place not unlike South Dedham itself.

In 1922, F. O. Winslow, who had been present at the naming meeting, told the Norwood Messenger that the town was indeed named after Beecher’s book. According to Winslow, the suggestion came from Rev. George Hill, the local Universalist minister, who would certainly have been familiar with Beecher’s work. Hill, an educated and literary‑minded figure, would have appreciated the novel’s themes and its portrayal of New England character.

If Winslow’s recollection is accurate, the matter would seem settled. Yet the explanation, while appealing, leaves some historians wanting more. It relies heavily on memory, offered fifty years after the fact, and lacks corroborating documentation.

Theory Two: A Name Found in an Atlas

A second explanation emerged in 1903, when Mrs. Marcia M. Winslow- a respected Norwood schoolteacher- delivered an address titled Recollections of Old South Dedham to the Norwood Woman’s Club. Her account, later published in the Norwood Messenger, credited the name to Tyler Thayer, a village contractor.

According to Mrs. Winslow, Thayer had been leafing through the index of Johnson’s Atlas of the United States when he noticed something unusual: there was only one town in the entire country named Norwood, located in Stanly County, North Carolina. Struck by its uniqueness, Thayer proposed the name at the January 23 meeting.

He argued that “Norwood” looked attractive in print, had a pleasant sound, and was easy to write. No “i” to dot, no “t” to cross. The simplicity and distinctiveness of the name, he claimed, made it ideal for a new town seeking its own identity. His reasoning evidently resonated with the townspeople, for the name ultimately prevailed.

Only later, after the name had been officially adopted, did residents discover that there was also a Norwood in England, and that it lay not far from Dedham, the English namesake of their former mother town. This coincidence added yet another layer of intrigue to the story.

A Mystery That Endures

Both theories- the literary inspiration and the atlas discovery- have their champions. Both are plausible. And both reflect the personalities and values of the people who shaped early Norwood: a minister drawn to literature and moral storytelling, and a practical contractor with an eye for clarity and distinction.

What remains certain is that the choice was not without controversy. Yet those who supported the name “Norwood” in 1872 would likely be pleased to know that today there are twelve towns across the United States bearing the same name. The word that once sparked debate has become a source of identity, pride, and continuity.

Based on Norwood Historical Society source material