BlockNorwood, Massachusetts
41 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1886 and the latest in 1989. It stands in Norwood town. It lies in ZIP code area 02062. It stands on Plantingfield Brook. The Survey maps it on the Norwood quadrangle.
Then and now
1886 to 1989The same ground, surveyed 103 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.
On record in Norwood
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 2 records
Fred Holland Day Houselisted 1977
Norwood Memorial Municipal Buildinglisted 1996
Businesses named in the fire insurance atlases 12 of 17 shown
- Roby, J. W., Carriage ShopCarriage Shop, in the atlas of 1892 to 1903
- Congregational ChurchChurch, in the atlas of 1897 to 1909
- Everett SchoolSchool, in the atlas of 1903 to 1909
- Howard, M. H., Wood WorksWorks, in the atlas of 1892 to 1897
- Methodist ChurchChurch, in the atlas of 1903 to 1909
- Afales, F., & Co., Grist-mill & Feed StoreMill, in the atlas of 1903
- Baptist ChurchChurch, in the atlas of 1903
- Co., FoundryFoundry, in the atlas of 1903
- Guild SchoolSchool, in the atlas of 1903
- High SchoolSchool, in the atlas of 1897
- Machine RmMachine Shop, in the atlas of 1903
- Plimpton, H. M., Co., Press-worksWorks, in the atlas of 1903
Topographic sheets covering this place
19 surveys from 41 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1886 USGS Dedham quadrangle1:62500
- 1894 USGS Dedham quadrangle1:62500, 10 printings
- 1919 USGS Dedham quadrangle1:62500
- 1936 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:24000
- 1941 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:31680, 3 printings
- 1943 USGS Boston quadrangle1:125000
- 1946 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:24000
- 1947 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:25000
- 1948 USGS Boston quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1956 USGS Boston quadrangle1:250000, 6 printings
- 1958 USGS Boston quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1958 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1961 USGS Boston quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1970 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:25000
- 1970 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:24000
- 1977 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:25000
- 1985 USGS Boston quadrangle1:100000
- 1985 USGS Norwood quadrangle1:25000, 2 printings
- 1989 USGS Boston quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
In the county-history sources
15,944 words on this townshipNorfolk County Manual, and Year Book for 1876, published 1877 names this settlement in its chapter on Norwood Town. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
Tho celebration of tho day was under tho direction of a Committee of Arrangements consisting of Francis Tinker, Rev. Georgo Hill, Goo. E. Draper, Francis 0. Winslow and W. E. Locke. A procession was formed at 10 o'clock, which marched to Highland Grove where the exorcises took placo in tho following order: Address of welcome, by Rev. George Hill; Song of welcome, composed by Francis Tinker, and sung by tho Alpine Quartette; Introductory Remarks by W. E. Locke. President of the Day; Prayer, by Rev. J. P. Bixby; Reading of the Declaration of Independence, by Francis 0. Winslow; Music by tho band, and Singing by the quartette, after which Curtis Guild, of Boston, gave a patriotic address suited to tho occasion. Mr. Sanford Mitchell sang the " Sword of Bunker Hill," and the audience joined in singing an original ode, written for the occasion by Rev. Theron Brown, after which addresses were made by Edwin Thompson and others. In tho afternoon a picnic was held in tho grove under tho auspices of the Norwood Reform Club, and in the evening there was au excellent display of fireworks.
Passage source: Norfolk County Manual, and Year Book for 1876, published 1877.
Tho Bi-Centcnnial Anniversary of tho Burning of tho Town of Medfiold, by the IndianSj in 1076, was celebrated by tho citizens of tho town, February 21st, 18TG, under the direction of a Committeo of Arrangements, consisting of Rev. C. C. Sowall, llov. J. M. II. Eaton, and Messrs. Jacob R. Cushman, Charles Ilainant, and James Hcwins. Bells wero rung and salutes fired at morning, noon and evening. The literary exorcises took place at the Tun Hall, and consisted of an Opening Address by Rev. Charles C. Sewall, President of tho Day; Prayer, by Itev. J. M. R. Eaton; Singing of St. Martin's by tho audience; Historical Address by Robert R. Bishop, Esq., of Newton, a native of .Med field; and an appropriate poem by James Ilowins, Esq. A recoss was then taken for a collation in tho vestry of tho Unitarian Church. At '2, I\ M., tho oxorcises in the Town Hall wore resumed by singing a bymu, written for tho occasion by Rev. J. 11. Allen, of Cainbridgo, followed by addrosscs from the President of tho Day; Hon. J. B. D. Cogswell, of Yarmouth; Rev. Theron Brown, of Norwood; Henry D. Hyde, Esq., of Boston; Rev. Charles Hammond, of Monson; Mr. D. T. V. Iiuntoon, of Canton; Mr. Edward A. II. Allen, of Sherborn ; Rev. S. W. Bush, (f Boston, and others. The exercises closed with prayer by Rev. Mr. Crane. The proceedings of the day, including the admirable address of Mr. Bishop, have been published in an elegant pamphlet.
Passage source: Norfolk County Manual, and Year Book for 1876, published 1877.
Wiuslow Park, a new park laid out on the corner of Walpole and Chapel streets, Norwood, by George Wiuslow, and his sons, was dedicated on Monday, November Cth. Mr. Francis 0. Wiuslow made the opening address, followed by a patriotic address by Rev. J. P. Bixby. Mr. George Winslow, seventy-six years old, run up a beautiful flag from tho elegant staff which adorns tho enclosure, amidst music by the band and tho shouts of the assembled multitude. The houses in tho vicinity were finely illuminated.
Passage source: Norfolk County Manual, and Year Book for 1876, published 1877.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Norwood Town - it names this place 10 more 10 times.
Fires near this place
159 since 2015Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 159 fires within 5 miles of Norwood between 2015 and 2020, burning about 63 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 53 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 48 |
| Smoking | 44 |
| Debris and open burning | 8 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 4 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 2 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | DOVER |
| 6 September 2020 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 5 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | WESTWOOD |
| 3 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | DEDHAM |
| 22 September 2020 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 2 September 2017 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | DEDHAM |
| 18 September 2020 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 17 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | DEDHAM |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Specimens collected near this place
12 of 12,729 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 12,729 specimens collected within 10 miles of Norwood between 1815 and 1975: 4,720 Animalia, 4,391 Plantae, 3,250 Fungi, 206 Protozoa, 92 Chromista, 46 Unrecorded, 24 Bacteria. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by ?, ? ex Herb. W.G. Farlow, A C Gibson and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.
| Image | Species | Year | Collected by | Where, as recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Hieracium venosum L. | 1900 | E. F. Williams | Blue Hills Reservation |
 | Hypoprepia fucosa Hübner, 1831 | 1900 | not recorded | Sherborn |
 | Lysimachia × producta (A.Gray) Fernald | 1900 | A. P. Chute | |
 | Corylus L. | 1815 | Boott, F.M.B. | Worcester Turnpike, 7 miles from Boston. |
 | Nuphar Sm. | 1815 | Boott, J.W. | Worcester Turnpike 6 miles from Boston. |
 | Sassafras J.Presl | 1815 | Boott, F.M.B. | Worcester Turnpike, 6 miles from Boston. |
 | Bartramia pomiformis Hedw. | 1832 | C. E. Cummings | |
 | Cornus sericea subsp. sericea | 1832 | Nathaniel T. Kidder | Milton, Brook Road |
 | Galium verum L. | 1846 | Kupell | |
 | Calycanthus L. | 1850 | not recorded | Hort. Cantab. [presumably cultivated Hortus Cantabridgiensis, Botanical Garden Harvard University] e Georgia. |
 | Malvastrum A.Gray | 1850 | not recorded | Hort. Cantab. [=Hortus Cantabridgiensis, Botanical Garden Harvard University]. |
 | Assiminea succinea (L.Pfeiffer, 1840) | 1852 | not recorded | Roxbury, Boston |
All 12,729 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Mines and quarries near this place
10 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 10 workings within 5 miles of Norwood: 4 past producers, 3 producers, 2 unknowns, 1 occurrence. 3 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Iron, Granite, Stone. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hopkinton Quarry | Granite | Producer | ||
| Walpole Quarry | Stone | Past Producer | ||
| Iron Mountain Mine | Iron | Past Producer | ||
| Thorn Mountain Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Canton Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Canton Pit & Plant | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Dedham Pit & Plant | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Robbins Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sansone Brothers | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | Sedimentary | |
| West Sand & Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
7 since 1999Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Norwood in 7 storm reports between 1999 and 2020: 3 flood, 2 lightning, 1 heavy rain, 1 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2020 | Flash Flood | Norwood | $30,000,000 | A Flash Flood emergency occurred, with considerable damage in the vicinity of Norwood Hospital. Severe flooding, more than 4 feet deep, occurred in the basement of the hospital. The entire pharmacy inventory was destroyed. One hundred patients had to be evacuated. Numerous cars were submerged in the parking lot, which, albeit, is in a 'bowl' not designed with flooding in mind. Damage to the hospital was estimated at $20,000,000. In addition, emergency management officials said that approximately 250 homes suffered flood damage. |
| February 2008 | Flood | Norwood | $10,000 | In Norwood, several streets were flooded. West street in Walpole was flooded underneath the railroad bridge. Also, The Bird Park area was flooded. In Weymouth, Old Swamp River was out of its banks. In Quincy, the Wollaston T Station was shut down due to flooding. |
| June 2001 | Lightning | Norwood | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2020 | Flood | Norwood | $2,000 | At 340 PM EST (440 PM EDT) a section of Route 1 was flooded with up to 1 foot of water. At 346 PM EST, Broadway was reported to be flooded and impassable. At 402 PM EST, four feet of water was reported in the basement of Norwood Hospital. |
| June 2006 | Flood | Norwood | - | Neponset River |
| July 2001 | Lightning | Norwood | - | no account filed |
| January 1999 | Heavy Rain | Norwood | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellis | 1.4 miles | 41 | |
| Winslows | 1.7 miles | 41 | |
| Westwood | 1.9 miles | 41 | |
| Islington | 2.1 miles | 41 | |
| East Walpole | 2.3 miles | 41 | |
| Greenlodge | 2.9 miles | 41 | |
| Canton Junction | 3.0 miles | 41 | |
| Summer Heights | 3.0 miles | 41 |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 612500. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.