Washington Street is the main thoroughfare through town and forms the eastern border of the Town Square. It splits at the northern edge of town and becomes Walpole Street, known in the early days of the town as the Norfolk Bristol Highway, and southerly to South Norwood.
Churches
United Church of Norwood was originally the Universalist church. Originally located where the St. Catherine‘s rectory is, it was a small wooden structure. A larger church was built where St Catherines is now and it was destroyed by fire in 1884 and rebuilt in its present location, with contributions by Louis Day who was a member of the parish. In 1934 a fragment of the Methodists merged with the Universalists to form the United Church of Norwood as it is today. Meanwhile, the Universalist Church sold the small wooden building to St. Catherine’s parish.
St. Catherine’s was situated on the land that was once the small building of the Universalist Church. They offered the building to the Catholics who were traveling to Roxbury for Mass. In the 1840s mass was said twice a month at Patrick Fahey’s house at the corner of what is now Nahatan and Prospect. In 1862 they had their first Mass in this wooden building, until 1910 when the current church was built. The small building was renamed Columbia Hall and used as a parish hall. It was loaned to the Polish Community of South Norwood to have Mass said occasionally in Polish until they could petition the archdiocese for their own church. The feud between the Lithuanians and the Polish in South Norwood left the Polish Catholics with no local place to worship.
Norwood Associates Block
Next to the United Church is the Norwood Associates block. This building was original to the Hook and has housed numerous businesses, the early South Dedham Post Office, a hardware store, the Norwood Times newspaper, Alighieri’s Bridal shop, barbershop and beauty Salon, and now whatever is there. The block from Cottage Street to the Associates Block, originally the site of Tinker’s Drugstore, has had numerous tenants. In 1881 it was the shop of Alfred T. Harriot who had his shop as a watchmaker, jeweler, engraver, and ophthalmologist. There was an insurance company on the top floor and for a while the Post office was in the same building. As the block grew and the older buildings were destroyed it was the home of Regan’s Shoes, Norwood Taxi, Pennington Stationary, a barber shop, Jack’s Dress Shop, Puritan Furniture, Welch’s Newsstand, Dryfuss and White Fruit and Produce, Orient Brothers, Clothing, McManus ice cream shop. A direct rival to Furlong’s in the 60s, The Apollo Function Hall, and now as you see it. The block behind where Babel’s paint was located, was first Humphreys Fish Market, then Peterson’s Catering, then Vic and Jeanne Babel moved the family business there, and for a brief time National Lumber ran Babel’s. It is now the new home of FURLONG’s Candy!!
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Norwood’s Town Square
A compilation of articles about the Town Square and the Surrounding Area https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/the-hook-is-born/ https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/downtown-norwood-country-village-to-modern-town-square/ https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/the-town-square/ https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/to-the-north-of-the-common-nahatan-street/ https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/to-the-east-of-the-common-central-street/ https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/to-the-west-of-the-common-washington-street/ https://norwoodhistoricalsociety.org/to-the-south-of-the-common-cottage-street/ https://youtu.be/DfYqWSbo0Fs 2021 Virtual Walking tour of Norwood’s Town Square.
To the East of the Common – Central Street
Central Street “Park” (photo GoogleEarth) To the west of the town square is Central Street, which during the summer months becomes an extension of the town square. Since the COVID pandemic, the town has placed Jersey barriers at either end…
To the South of the Common – Cottage Street
A view of the Cottage Street Extension. The large brick building on the right is the Folan Building and it faces Washington St. Note dinners are enjoying outdoor seating at Lewis’. (photo GoogleEarth) Cottage Street forms the Town Square’s southern…
The Town Square
A postcard showing the Norwood House The current Town Square, or Common, was envisioned by George Willet to be a central business district framed by the Town Hall and the Theater. He undertook the huge effort to turn this area…
To the North of the Common – Nahatan Street
North of the Town Square is Nahatan Street. Running directionally east to west, it was originally laid out in the early 1800s, to be the main road between Medfield and South Dedham. Today, where it crosses Washington Street, is most…
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