Top This Day in Norwood History Posts-May 2026
From Prohibition‑era liquor raids to championship seasons, neighborhood histories, and lives of service, May’s most‑read stories trace Norwood’s character across more than a century. Together they reveal a town that argues, builds, mourns, celebrates, and keeps coming back to the same streets, fields, and gathering places that define our shared civic memory.
Norwood Police Conduct Four Liquor Raids in 24 Hours-This Day in Norwood History-May 25, 1924
In the thick of Prohibition, Norwood police launched a rapid series of liquor raids that shook local businesses and backroom operations alike. Can you imagine the buzz around town as word spread that both a neighborhood store and a private home had been hit in the same day?
Deceased Norwood Soldier Keith Benson Honored With Corner Memorial-This Day in Norwood History-May 29, 2012
A quiet Norwood street corner becomes a place of remembrance as the town honors Keith Benson, a fallen soldier whose name now anchors a living memorial. How does a single intersection come to hold so much grief, pride, and gratitude all at once?
Norwood Chief Makes Arrest on Night Off-This Day in Norwood History-May 22, 1969
Even off duty, Norwood’s police chief couldn’t turn off his sense of responsibility when trouble crossed his path. Does anyone remember hearing the story of a chief who stepped in on his own time and still ended up in the headlines?
Norwood High Wins Bay State League Baseball Title-This Day in Norwood History-May 29, 1957
A hard‑fought season culminated in a Bay State League title that sent Norwood High fans into early‑summer celebration. Can you picture the stands, the final out, and the way that one championship game still echoes through local baseball memories?
Predictions for the Future of Norwood Hospital-This Day in Norwood History-1963
In 1963, local leaders and medical staff looked ahead and imagined what Norwood Hospital could become — a rare moment when a community tried to forecast its own healthcare future. It’s fascinating to see which hopes came true and which ideas now feel like time capsules from another era.
Norwood News Stand Staff Photo-This Day in Norwood History-May 15, 1958
A simple staff photo at a Norwood news stand captures the faces behind the counter who kept the town supplied with papers, magazines, and gossip. Do you recognize anyone who once handed you a newspaper, a comic book, or your first sports page?
A Legacy of Service: In Memoriam of Gary M. Lee-This Day in Norwood History-April 30, 2023
This tribute traces Gary Lee’s journey from Norwood High graduate to attorney, selectman, and community leader whose life was rooted deeply in town service. It’s a portrait of a neighbor whose faith, family, and public work left a lasting imprint on Norwood’s civic life.
Compact Homes in Fine Location in Vernon Park-This Day in Norwood History-May 28, 1938
A real‑estate ad for “compact homes” in Vernon Park reveals how Norwood once marketed its growing neighborhoods to new families. What did “fine location” mean in 1938—and how many of today’s residents are still living in those very houses?
Norwood Cinemas Shuts Down for Censorship Protest-This Day in Norwood History-May 4, 1993
When Norwood Cinemas went dark in protest over film censorship, a local movie house suddenly became the stage for a First Amendment fight. Do you remember when a night at the movies turned into a town‑wide debate about what should—and shouldn’t—be shown on screen?
Hockey Testimonial Is Gala Affair Honoring Blane Maus and Tom Clifford Sr.-This Day in Norwood History-May 6, 1964
A packed testimonial dinner celebrated two pillars of Norwood hockey, turning one evening into a tribute to decades of frozen‑rink memories. How many players and families can trace their love of the game back to the men honored that night?
Lewis’ Dining Room Reopens After Wartime Renovation-This Day in Norwood History-May 18, 1945
As World War II drew to a close, Lewis’ Dining Room reopened its doors, refreshed and ready to welcome a town eager for normalcy. Can you imagine the first post‑war meals shared there, and the conversations that filled those newly renovated rooms?
Allison Mahan’s Unstoppable Season-This Day in Norwood History-May 7, 1985
Allison Mahan’s standout season on the field turned box scores into legend and inspired a new generation of Norwood athletes. Do you remember watching her play—or hearing the stories about just how “unstoppable” she really was?
🗓️ In Memoriam: Clement A. Riley—This Day in Norwood History—May 31, 1988
Norwood reflected on the remarkable life of Clement A. Riley, a civic leader whose decades of service shaped both the town and the Commonwealth.
Norwood’s Neighborhoods-This Day in Norwood History-Ongoing Series
This evolving series walks block by block through Norwood’s streets, tracing how each neighborhood grew, changed, and built its own identity. It’s the kind of project that makes you see familiar corners differently—and maybe look up your own street with fresh eyes.
Police Force Reaches Out to Town-This Day in Norwood History-May 17, 1992
In the early 1990s, Norwood’s police department made a deliberate effort to connect with residents beyond emergency calls and traffic stops. How did community policing look back then—and what parts of that outreach still shape relationships today?
Mustangs Clinch at Least a Share of BSL Title With 8–4 Win Over Natick-This Day in Norwood History-May 19, 1981
An 8–4 victory over Natick pushed the Norwood Mustangs to the brink of Bay State League glory and sent fans home buzzing. Do you remember the players, the crowd, or the feeling that the whole town was riding every pitch?
Norwood’s Art Gulla Stepping Down After Two Decades-This Day in Norwood History-May 28, 1971
After twenty years in a key role, Art Gulla’s decision to step down marked the end of an era in Norwood sports and civic life. What does it mean when a familiar figure who’s always “just been there” finally hands over the reins?
This Day in Norwood History-May 3, Many Years
This multi‑year roundup gathers moments from different May 3rds—big and small—that together sketch a cross‑section of Norwood life. It’s like flipping through a time‑lapse calendar, watching the same date light up in different decades.
This Day in Norwood History-May 12, 1965
A young Richie Hebner takes center stage in this snapshot of Norwood’s baseball past, long before his name became widely known. How often does a local box score quietly hint at a much bigger career to come?
MSHCA Hall Calls for Clifford-This Day in Norwood History-May 10, 2013
When the Massachusetts State Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame came calling for Clifford, it was as much a Norwood story as a personal honor. This piece traces how years of dedication behind the bench turned into a legacy worthy of the hall.
Talk of the Town: May 11, 1964-This Day in Norwood History-May 11, 1964
“Talk of the Town” captures the everyday buzz of 1964 Norwood—small notices, local characters, and the kind of news that never makes the big papers. Do you recognize the rhythms of your own life in these little items from another era?
Norwood Airport Aerial View, Then and Now (1953)-This Day in Norwood History-1953
An aerial photograph from 1953 shows Norwood Airport surrounded by open land, long before later development filled in the gaps. It’s a striking before‑and‑after that invites you to imagine the roar of early planes over fields that look almost rural.
From moonshine raids to ballfield triumphs, corner memorials, and changing streetscapes, these top posts show how Norwood’s past is never just “back then”—it’s woven into the places we still walk, drive, and gather today. As you explore these stories, you’re not just reading history; you’re reconnecting with the people and moments that continue to shape the town’s identity, one day—and one memory—at a time.
Top Stories of 2026
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Secrets Behind Gas Station Kidnapping-This Day In Norwood History-March 16, 1979
It was a short story, one that may have been passed over by most readers — a story in the Evening Globe of March 16, 1978, about the kidnapping of a suburban gas station attendant. Yet the story that could not be written at the time was that it also was one of the best-kept…
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Girls Basketball-Norwood, Westwood Move to Finals-This Day In Norwood History-March 15, 1978
Norwood scored the last six points in regulation and the first five in overtime to win the girl’s Division 1 semifinals over Cambridge Rindge & Latin yesterday, 47-44, at Norwell. Patty Shinkwin kept Cambridge in the game, scoring 10 of R&L’s 19 first-half points. However, Norwood’s superior rebounding and shot selection gave Norwood the edge…
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Wedding Invitations Burned and Couple Takes to Phone-This Day In Norwood History-March 29, 1977
Vandalism often sounded like kid stuff — tipping over trash cans, waxing windows, letting air out of tires. That was how John Riley and Paula Balerna of Norwood always thought about it, until Saturday.On Saturday, vandals threw a lighted torch into a mailbox in front of the Norwood Post Office on Central Street. Today, John…
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Norwood Wins State Title, 3-1-This Day In Norwood History-March 21, 1972
It was supposed to be another easy victory for the East last night at Boston Garden, but it took a sensational late-game spurt by Mike Martin to carry undefeated Norwood to a 3-1 victory over surprising St. John’s of Shrewsbury for the Division 1 championship of the State Hockey Tournament. Earlier in the day, Barnstable…
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Arlington Hex Is No More, Norwood Sits On Cloud Nine-This Day In Norwood History-March 14, 1972
THE WINNERS—Happy Norwood goal-scorers celebrate their victory over Arlington in finals of EMass hockey tournament. From left, William Denehy, Ed King, and Greg Walker whoop it up. (Frank O’Brien photo) “We wanted it not just for ourselves, or because of what happened last year. We wanted it For Don Wheeler, maybe more than anything else.”…
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Norwood to Boston in Few Steps a Reality With New Commuter Rail Stops-This Day In Norwood History-April 10, 1971
11 Apr 1971, Sun The Boston Globe Imagine walking out of your apartment, stepping a few yards and boarding a train to Boston Convenient? You bet. This is the situation now for residents of 1000-unit Windsor Gardens complex in Norwood. After several years’ dealings with transportation officials, the management of the complex finally got approval…
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Fiberglass Shield Gives Norwood, Martin Big Lift-This Day In Norwood History-March 1, 1971
In March 1971, the Norwood High hockey team’s postseason hopes faced a major hurdle when star center Mike Martin was sidelined. Enter local legend Ernie Higgins—the renowned plumber-turned-mask-maker for NHL greats like Gerry Cheevers. By crafting a custom fiberglass shield, Higgins provided the “big lift” Martin needed to return to the ice just in time…
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Dedication Ceremony For The Junior High North-This Day In Norwood History-April 29, 1970
DEDICATE NEW SCHOOL — The raising of the Town of Norwood Flag kicked off the dedicatory exercises on Sunday at the new Junior High North in the presence of these town dignitaries. Among those in the front row are, left to right: Selectmen Joseph Wall and Olga Abdallah, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Philip O. Coakley,…
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Miss Olga A. (Ollie) Abdallah, Elected Norwood Selectman at 24-This Day In Norwood History-February 12, 1969
Norwood Selectman Olga A. (Ollie) Abdallah (Paul J. Connell Photo) Politics is a family tradition with Miss Olga A. (Ollie) Abdallah, at 24 already a Norwood selectman. The first woman elected to town office, she defeated four men in a special election on Jan. 20 to fill the unexpired term of her father. John A.…
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Jack Madden Ford Sales Set For Norwood Holiday Throng-This Day In Norwood History-February 18, 1968
Jack Madden and his staff cordially invite all to help celebrate Open House on Washington’s Birthday Week at their modern facility at 825 Providence Highway, Rte. 1, Norwood. An area of 100,000 square feet with a 600-foot frontage on Rte. 1 displays a whole new line of total performance Ford cars — Falcon, Fairlane, Ford,…
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