Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 1
Norwood, ma
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N a h a ta n S t .
F mal Ply Gn
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Highland Cemetery
V e r n o n S t .
W i n nt t e er r S t t .
N a h a t a an S t .
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1A C ha pe l S l S t t.
. S t o n g t s h in a W
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Norwood Airport
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t. Cr oss S t.
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D e a an S t n t.
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Mylod St.
1 S u m n e r S t .
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 2
95
Open Sp SpaceS aceS Norwood, mas sachuset ts
Featuring Open Space and Conservation Lands in the Town Town of Norwood Written by Patricia Fanning Photography and Design by Bruce Jones Bade Canoe Launch Ellis Pond Endean Conservation Land Hawes Brook & Pool Hennessey Field Father McAleer Playground Shattuck Park William Pezwick Park (Traphole (Traphole Brook Conservation Land)
Open Spaces is the companion book to the NPA TV show “Open Spaces • Norwood”.
is book and television show were made possible with the generous help of Norwood Public Public Access TV, TV, Norwood Historical Society, the Town of Norwood. Special thanks to: Al Goetz, Matthew Costa, Steve Costello, James F. Gormley, Joseph and eresa, Patrick Laverty, Linda Rau, Heather Cole, Project Historian Historian - Patricia J. Fanning; Norwood Recreation Recreation Department - Jerry Miller; Louise Miller and for NPA TV Jack Tolman.
© Copyright J. Bruce Jones 2009
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 1
Ellis Pond Ownship: tn
N u m mb e er 1 i n r n S u ur rv e v y e M o s y o f st f t F a av o v r o r i i t t Ar e e e ea s a s
Manamn: cnvin ci Acs: 37.50 Inl elli n Gil Pn. N N spn clb l Gil Pn Locaion: off r 1a - wlpl wlpl s, f hnnif mk r e e t s S t l s c h o N i c
German y rook Broo G e o r g ge R . W i l l e t t t P k w w y
Ellis Pond wa y th wa Pa th
t e e e S t r r o l e p l W a
d tham Roa Cha th
wes Ha we Brook Orlean leans s Road
I
1A
E n d i c o t t S t r e e t
n 1832, Isaac Ellis and Joseph Day founded a wrapping-paper mill on Hawes Brook at the dam on the east end of Ellis Pond, located o today’s Walpole Street; the pond may actually have been created to provide power for the mill’s mill’s operation. Within two years, Day left the partnership but the enterprise continued in the Ellis family. By the mid-19th century, the family began to harvest ice from Ellis Pond thereby creating the Norwood Ice Company. Company. At the outset the ice was not marketed widely but, under the direction of Isaac Ellis, the business evolved into a major industry.
W o o d b i n e R o a d
Shortly after ownership of the enterprise was transferred from Ellis to Winslow Brothers & Smith Company in 1909, the operation consisted of ve mammoth ice houses. Cutting and storing the ice was such a fascinating process that the harvesting of the ice crop became family entertainment and people Pl b n elli Pn lined the shores of the pond to watch the men work. With the advent of manufactured ice, the company at rst maintained a separate storage facility to house manufactured product in addition to the pond ice. Once refrigeration systems were perfected, however, the iceman’s age ended and the Norwood Ice Company passed into memory. In February of 1972 the Town of Norwood, through its Conservation Commission, purchased Ellis Pond Pond min B. cn d, i 1999. with assistance from the Department of Natural Resources and the Self Help Program. Since that time, cluding clearing brush, constructing improvements have been made in walking paths and adding signage.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 2
Aciviis • Fishing • Walking • Picnic • Pl Bing
elli Pn
t lking p n N i f elli Pn
elli Pn - elli Pp mill n I h , 1880
s n nn lking p n clvln sl.
ail a il n elli I cpny cp ny,, t mng m ng, Jn 10, 1932 Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 3
Hawes Brook & Pool Haws Book Ownship: tn Manamn: cnvin ci Acs: 4.78 Ppy n n. Nb 2 in svy f fvi C o n c o r d A v e .
Al e e n d a l l e e P k k w w y
th Pa th
tle League t tl Li t Field
wes Brook Ha we t wimming re e S wi S t S l h ho r Poo o t t S t n t. to g n i Coak le y sh Middle a W School
H
awes Brook Walkway Conservation Area is located o of Washington Street in South Norwood along the Hawes Brook. Totalling about 5 acres from Washington Washington Street to the railroad bridge, it includes two former swimming holes (a men’s and a women’s), and a walking trail. Today, a well marked path can be followed through the woods along the brook, returning along the access road next to the Coakley Middle School. e Hawes Brook Swimming Pool opened in June 1949. Built at a cost of $20,000 and holding 200,000 gallons of water, the pool originally
had no modern ltering system, so it had to be closed, drained, cleaned, and relled weekly. e pool became so popular that when a drought hit in August, it was deemed exempt from a townwide water ban. By the 1970s, more than 500 Norwood children were taking swimming lessons each summer at the pool. (rig) il big n f lking p, (F rig) wlking p i k il.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 4
Aciviis • Fishing • Walking • Picnic • Swimming Haws Pool Ownship: tn Manamn: Pk & rin Acs: 7.10 spy Pk, P k, til vlp lng h Bk.
h Pl Pk
h Plygn y
N/cnn r, Jly 15, 1965
Fn h Pl, Jly 13, 1950
h Pl, Jly, Jly, 1962
(Top) Hawes Pool in the 1970s. (Above) Helen Wraga (left) and Vera Zabrowski are seated on the wall surrounding the Fish Pond in 1941. Located behind today’s Hawes Pool, the pond area also had a bathhouse and plenty of room for picnics.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 5
Hennessey Field Ownship: tn Manamn: sln Acs: 7.55 N lking il bn inll, ab l ln n Lnx av. . t S e o r n o M
Plimpton Av e.
trance En tr
. t S x o n e L
Cr oss St.
ld ie ld F ie Hennesse y
t e e r t S t n a s a l e P
. t S w a h S
. R d e i d s y n n S u
trance En tr
Le n no x o Av x e e.
. y S t G a y
I
n the mid-twentieth century the Town of Norwood acquired various tracts of land on Pleasant Street, much of it known locally as Hennessey Field, for use as a playground, park and possible future school site. In 1972, it was examined along with Endean as a possible location for the new Junior High South (now Coakley Middle School) and in the 1990s it came under consideration as a possible site for a new Department of Public Works facility. To date, the area remains open space with well maintained walking trails.
Inin Pip
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 6
Nat ure Watching Aciviis • Walking • Picnic • Nature Aciv Communiy Involvmn in 2009 Kps Hnnssy Up-o-Da
wlking il in hnny Fil
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 7
Shattuck Park Ownship: tn Manamn: Pk & rin Acs: 7.53 u i by ; n lking il g pl Nb 3 in svy f fvi St. Win Wintter St.
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l
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o n t
S
t .
S h a t t u c k P a r k R d .
Par k tuc k P S ha t tu
B o n d S t .
. S t l s o h i c N
R o s e m a r y S t .
I
n December of 1924, Mrs. Emma L. Morrill Shattuck oered 9 ½ acres of undeveloped wooded land to the Town of Norwood. Located on Winter Street, the lot was to be designated a public park named Shattuck Memorial Park. e Town Meeting accepted the generous oer and authorized the Selectmen to “formally express the thanks of the Town.” Shattuck Memorial Park was to be part of a string of parks, parkways, and playgrounds proposed in the 1923 report of Arthur A. Shurtle, Town Planner. Understanding that the residents of Norwood would likely soon lose the considerable
“wild land” on the outskirts of town to housing developments, a park way consisting of small parks and playgrounds connecting two large park areas—one east of the cemetery toward the Westwood border and a second on the margins of Willett Pond—was recommended to ensure open and recreative space. ree years later, in 1928, Emma Shattuck wrote to the Selectmen, who had voted against a proposed parkway from Walpole to Nichols Streets, expressing her dismay. She reminded the board that her gift had been part of a proposed Park System which had yet to be established. “Can Norwood attract new citizens unless Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 8
the existing community is constantly exerting every endeavor to add to the beauty of its surroundings?” she asked. She predicted that unless the town acquired property quickly for this purpose, property prices would become prohibitive and the system would be unattainable. e Shattuck Memorial Park remains an undeveloped oasis of wood and shade situated between Winter and Nichols Street.
Walking Tra Trails ils • Nature Watching Aciviis • Walking
(upp Lf), P Pn rk, (oppi Pg) sk n n f wlpl n win s, ill 1962, (abv), in fll, k, , n py.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 9
Endean Conservation Land Ownship: tn Manamn: cnvin ci Acs: 37.23 ab J. hig s, iking & n il, Vi f Bl hill C o n c o r d d A v e .
Al e en d n a d l le P e k w w y
th Pa th
wes Broo k Ha we
le League t t le Li t ld Fie ld
T h o m p s o n R d .
Endean tion va ti Conser va Land trances En tr
le y Coa k le le Midd le hoo l Sc ho
e t r e S t S h h o or r t t S t n t. t o g in s h a W
tree t lod S tr M y lo
T
he Town Town of Norwood owes much to local industrialist and philanthropist Charles S. Bird, Jr. of Walpole. e last family member to lead the building products company, Bird & Son, which was founded in Walpole in 1795, Bird donated to Norwood the land known as Eliot Park (o Washington Street). He later sold the town 38 acres and the building today known as the George H. Morse House for half its assessed valuation and later still donated more land for Endean Playground and for a park at Washington and Mylod Streets. Even while Bird owned the property, he allowed Nor-
wood residents to use it for recreation and camping. Today the site includes the Philip O. Coakley Middle School, Endean Playground, and Hawes Pool. One of only three persons ever named Honorary Citizens of Norwood, Bird died in 1980 at the age of 95. enn nn n myl s
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 10
Aciviis • Walking Walking Trai Trails ls • Nature Watching
enn nn bin ckly mil sl, plny plny f p king.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 11
William Pezwick Park Ownship: tn Manamn: sln Acs: 2.3 Lnlk pl; l nvgn f tpl tpl Bk n Npn riv
T
he fertile land along the Trapdesire to acquire as many open spaces hole and Hawes Brooks, near as possible for use by present and the East Walpole-Norwood future residents of Norwood. To that town line, was one of the rst settled end, due to the work of the Commisareas in Norwood. ere a hardy sion, the town acquired some three population of adventurers gradually and one-half acres of land o Sumner transformed the wilderness into the Street including Mill Pond along small, self-contained South Dedham Traphole Brook in 1966. e state’s village. Because of this history, history, the Department of Natural Resources area has signicant meaning to the Self-Help Program Program assisted in the purtown. chase of this parcel by contributing e Norwood Conservation 50% of the acquisition cost. e area Commission, formed in 1962, rapidly was intended to have multi-purpose recognized that potential conservausage, including nature walks, shing, tion land was scarce and expressed a and ice skating at Mill pond. In 1974, Traphole Brook Reservation was ocially surveyed and markers were placed and a few years later, later, a small triangular lot beside the brook was acquired. In 1977, the conservation property in the area of Traphole Brook was designated William Pezwick Park, Park, in memory of a neighborhood boy who was killed tragically the previous year. year.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 12
Traphol rapholee Brook Conser Conservation vation Land Aciviis N wing Fishing • Walking Walking
Plying ky n mill pn, tpl Bk.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 13
Bade Canoe Launch Ownship: tn Manamn: cnvin ciin Acs: 0.14 cn ln n il , sging f iv n ln-p ff. D ean St r re et
t S t r e e D e a n
1 N e p p
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R i v ve r e r R i
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nown as the Bade Canoe Launch, the spot behind the River Ridge Oce Park on Rte 1 was acquired from a local real estate developer in the late twentieth century. Ocials from the Neponset River Watershed Association indicated that this would be a welcome option for people seeking to launch their canoes in Norwood. Prior to this acquisition, the nearest public launches were in Canton where the sites are steep and parking is limited. e Neponset River, which runs from Foxboro and empties into the Boston Harbor, oers nature-lovers scenic views of lovely marshes and vegetation and shing for bass, trout, pickerel, and carp. e canoe launch can also be used as a staging area for river races in addition to continued clean-up and maintenance eorts.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 14
Aciviis • Boat Launch • Canoeing • Nature Watching • Walking
(tp) (tp) B cn Ln lng Npn riv, riv, (abv) Vi f pking p king l n Ln nn behind River Ridge Ofce Park on Route 1.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 15
Father McAleer Playground Ownship: tn Manamn: Pk & rin Acs: 47.27 Swimming pool, Soccer elds, contains ny ply .
le Rd Lasa l le tion va ti Conser va Land
leer her McA le Fa t he d n u o r g y la yg P la W i n t e r S t .
p
S p r u c e R d .
v e. h A t h r t N o e. A v s t r r e F o
wimming S wi Pool
V e . r n R d o n S t . c e . R t u o x r S a p n n S n e a S r o t . h t t . S a w e H o r L i n c m o l c a n S S y t . t . Highland S m y l ter Ceme te E
. S t c t p e o s r P
N a h a t a n S t .
P r o s p e c t A v e . C o t t a g e S t .
rior to its settlement, the area now known as Norwood was a slightly wooded wilderness. Much of this wooded expanse remained undeveloped even into the twentieth century. century. e area which extended from the top of Vernon Street toward Westwood was one such area. A playground property emerged on land owned at least in part by a man named Mike Curran. Commonly referred to as “White Mike’s,” due to Curran’s patch of white hair, it was a popular recreation spot. In March, 1941 Town Meeting conrmed the action of the Board of Selectmen to rename “the playground properties
previously known as White Mike’s Field, ‘e Father McAleer Playground.’” Rev. Robert E. McAleer was a curate at St. Catherine’s Catherine’s for thirteen years, arriving in Norwood fresh from Boston College and St. John’s seminary in Brighton. McAleer organized St. Catherine’s Catherine’s junior baseball team and directed the annual church carnival. In 1936 he formed St. Catherine’s Fife and Drum Corps and had the pleasure of marching with two prize winning units before his untimely death following an operation in October of 1940 at the age of 37. At the time of his death, the Messenger’s Messenger’s
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 16
editors noted, “Recognized as an exceptional leader of youth, Fr. McAleer had endeared himself to both old and young alike and his passing is a severe blow to the town.” In respect to his memory, stores along Washington Street were closed during Rev. McAleer’s funeral which was attended by a crowd which overowed onto the steps of the church. In 1959, a swimming pool was opened at Father McAleer’s playground and in 1965 eight acres in the vicinity of Father’s Mac’s was acquired by the Norwood Conservation Committee with the assistance of the State Department of Natural Resources.
Aciviis • Swimming • Sports Fields • Play Ground
B n g F m
Soccer elds and plygn
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 17
NAMe
MANAgeMeNt
ACreS
DeSCrIPtION
town of Nowood Consvaion Lands enn cnvin Ln
cn c
37.23
ab ckly mil sl. hiking & n il. Vi f Bl hill
elli Pn
cn c
37.50
Inl elli n Gil Pn. N spn clb l n Gil Pn
Lsll cnvin Ln
cn c
7.10
ab F. F. mal’ Plygn. en f win s n w w n lin
Pik Pk cnvin Ln
cn c
3.13
en f sn s. tpl Bk n g pp y. y.
univiy av. cnvin Ln
cn c
19.01
G f iking, in pl, l in acec n r wln wln willif hbi
Purgatory Purgator y Brook Conservation Land
Con Comm
4.10
Landlocked, abuts Town’s Ellis Welleld, L in acec bin L Bk cny cny clb
tpl Bk cnvin Ln
cn c
2.30
Lnlk pl, l nvgn f tpl Bk n Npn riv
ev s cnvin Ln
cn c
3.63
L bin ev s. ni ing
B cn Ln
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3.96
ab N aip . Pibl il n n lk.
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0.33
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4.78
Pp y n tn. dvlpn pnil i riv Pin a.
ev Fily Ln
cn c
13.32
ab Npn riv, riv, g il pnil.
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 18
NAMe
MANAgeMeNt
ACreS
DeSCrIPtION
town of Nowood Paks and rcaion Lands civi cn
Pk & r.
1.00
tn inl q q
h Pl
Pk & r.
7.10
Pl, spy pk, p k, til vlp vlp lng h Bk
Fr. McAleer
Parks & Rec.
47.27
Swimming Swimmin g pool. Soccer elds, contains ny ply .
sk Pk
Pk & r.
7.53
u i by , n lking il g pl.
Bn s. Plygn Plyg n
Pk & r.
1.41
t l . rnly fbi fb i n xpn
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Pk & r.
1.90
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alln r Ln
Pk & r.
0.50
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Pln s. Pk
Pk & r.
3.17
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tn cn
Pk & r
1.10
k mil Pk. N gzb f i n ivi vn
Guild Square Park
Parks & Rec.
0.70
Vest pocket park next to Post Ofce.
d.a.V. d.a.V. Pk
Pk & r
4.49
on wlpl n cpl s. G pk f nning, pini,
clk s Ln
Pk & r.
2.00
L, L, ; p p f l dnn’ Plygn bin pli in
myl s. Pk
Pk & r.
0.90
sll pk inin f wingn s. n myl s
wiln s. Plygn
Pk & r.
11.11
Bb r Bbll, ing
Fn F n div r. L
Pk & r.
0.29
cnvy i iin. Pnil l f bkbll .
Charles Eliot Park
Parks & Rec.
7.28
Baseball and softball elds; seen as core inl filiy i
Willett Parkland
Parks & Rec.
13.75
Connects Willett School to landll. Great pnil f gnbl F. m’
Doherty Doher ty Field
Parks & Rec.
7.70
Little League eld recently build. Swing set n iln’ ply .
Iv tnni c c
Pk & r.
0.70
rfbi nni
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 19
NAMe
MANAgeMeNt
ACreS
DeSCrIPtION
town of Nowood Slcmn Lands Sanitary Landll
Selectmen
30.00
Capped landll. May take 75-100 years f ln flly l . Ln Ln lp n ply. Pnil f piv in biing, ky gzing, p f gny
Npn Vlly Ln
sln
89.92
cnvy i iin. L ff Vnbil av. b b Npn riv
wv wv Pky
sln
29.46
P P f wv dvlpn, pvi gn bff lng will Pky
hnny Fil
sln
7.55
N lking il bn inll. b l ln n Lnx av. av.
allnl Pp y
sln
8.27
P f allnl dvlpn, b h Bk
winl av. L s s s pl
sln
2.63
on p p f winl sl, n iln’ ply
sln
0.33
Lnlk pl i v lp, b Npn riv n Bi In.
Oldham School
School Committee
15.56
New baseball and softball elds, new rectangular all-purpose eld
Callahan School
School Committee
10.83
Baseball and softball eld, open play areas
town of Nowood School Lands
will sl
sl ci
22.89
sfbll n nni
sni hig sl
sl ci
22.54
Fbll, bbll n nni
Cleveland School
School Committee
18.42
Baseball and softball eld, open space area
P sl
sl ci
10.13
Bbll n fbll, bkbll
Coakley Middle School
School Committee
38.20
Softball, soccer/football elds, tennis courts cour ts
Jni hig N N
sl ci
17.26
Pnil f bkbll filiy
Bl sl
sl ci
3.27
ciln’ l y, b elli Pk
Lnx av sl Pp y
sl ci
5.94
P f hnny Fil
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 20
Project produced, photographed and designed by Bruce Jones Bruce Jones Design Inc. 661 Washington Street Norwood, MA 02062 781-255-7171 •
[email protected]
AcousticNatureSounds.com
Open SpaceS, nOrwOOd, Ma 22
