1800 to 1900
The David Holbrook House2 Holbrook Street
Although not much is known about this early nineteenth century house the exterior design appears to be in near original condition. Inside there are seven working fireplaces. The deeds on this property have been traced back as far as 1810 when the house was owned by David Holbrook and the lot known as the Holbrook Farm. This David may have been "David the Weaver" mentioned in The History of Norfolk by Bertha Fales. Over the years this house has been owned by many families with surnames indicating close ties to Norfolk's first settlers, as in addition to the Holbrooks we find the Fales family, and later the Rockwoods and the Ides in residence here.
The Richardson Barn360 Main Street
The barn is all that remains of the former magnificent residence built by Major Richardson in 1819 It was built on the hill next to his factory in the City Mills section of Norfolk. The home was later purchased by William Sweatt, but in 1935 over a dispute with the town, he had the house torn down. He moved to Wrentham and bought the property on East Street that today is part of the Pond Home. He died in Italy after a fall. Mrs. Sweatt left the house to the Pond Home in her will. Mr. Sweatt is buried at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.
The Fisher House22 Myrtle Street
This house is an excellent example of Federal period architecture in Norfolk. The present owner, Timothy Holmes is the son of Walter and Eva Holmes. Walter founded the Holmes bus company which still is an important business in Norfolk. The Holmes family is the same family line as the original owners. The original owner is said to be Ebenezer Fisher. Joseph Kingsbury and Cornelius Fisher, some of the founding settlers of North Wrentham, are believed to have resided in this immediate area. The house dates circa 1800 to 1820 and has been used by members of the Fisher and Torry families ever since. The Holmes are related to the Torrys, as Walter Holme's mother was a Torry. Walter was very active in the political history of the town of Norfolk, presiding as a selectman, a member of the School Committee and the Town Moderator for many years.
The Union Street Farmhouse151 Union Street
Parts of his farmhouse were constructed in the early 1700s as part of a large homestead consisting of over 500 acres that reached all the way to the shores of Mirror Lake. For many years it was a large dairy farm and even as recently as the 1930s the property encompassed over 150 acres. The farmhouse originally had eight fireplaces and two chimneys although four of the fireplaces and one of the chimneys have been removed during the course of extensive renovations throughout the years. Originally there was also a large barn and silo but the barn, like so many others, was destroyed by The Great Hurricane of 1938. When the ancient chicken coop fell victim to another hurricane in 1957, the owner hand refinished the wide pumpkin pine boards and transformed them into the current kitchen cabinets. Unique to this house are the two half-moon, leaded glass windows in the walk-in attic and the bark and axe marks which grace the timbers in the basement.
Recent research has found that the Farringtons lived here as early as 1717. Farrington was one of the original proprietors of Wrentham.
The Federated Church1 Union Street
The Federated Church was built in 1833. As first happened in Wrentham when the North Wrentham group had a painful split with Wrentham in 1795, a second split involving the Rev. Moses Thacher resulted in the formation of a new religious group called the Cleveland Religious Society in 1832. The land was deeded to the Cleveland Religious Society in June of 1833 and a new church was built under the leadership of Moses Thacher. The remaining members of the North Wrentham parish continued to use the Meetinghouse on the Hill and after many years the two groups came together again under the name the Union Congregational Church. The Rev. Moses Thacher was installed as minister on Feb 20, 1833. His departure from the North Wrentham Parish and his tenure in this subject building was rife with controversy and scandal. Despite the fact that Anti Masonic fervor and other scandal was a part of his life in Norfolk, he is responsible for building Norfolk's most prominent landmark.
The Henry Kirk Pond House48 Everett Street
Henry Kirk Pond was a prominent citizen of "Pondville" and selectman of Norfolk. Account books owned by the Pond family and dated 1840, contain records of all the materials used in the construction of this house and dates pertaining to its construction. They also list business records for a boot shop. The barn behind the house was constructed at a later date than the house. This fine example of the English Cottage style of architecture was put under a historic preservation restriction agreement in 2005.
The Norfolk County Railroad ArchwayCity Mills
This powerful and picturesque stone archway that guards the entrance to the City Mills pond remains a hidden treasure to most Norfolk residents. It was constructed by the Norfolk County Railroad circa 1848. In 1846 the Walpole Railroad was charted to build a railroad from Dedham to Walpole, a distance of seven miles. In 1847 the Norfolk County Railroad was charted to continue this line to Blackstone, MA passing through Norfolk. A few months later the two companies merged under the name of the Norfolk County Railroad. The line opened for service in the spring of 1849 with stops in Norfolk at Highland Lake, Norfolk Center and City Mills.
During the years 1891 to 1895 one of the truly legendary passenger trains of the Northeast, the New York to Boston - New England Limited, known as "The White Train", proudly ran on this line. In April of 1966 the New Haven Railroad was given permission to discontinue commuter service between Blackstone and Boston. Since the outer towns serviced by this rail line were outside of the MBTA service area, the railroad would only continue to service those towns that would provide local subsidies. Both Blackstone and Bellingham opted against this and the line was truncated with the town of Franklin as the last stop.
The Norfolk County Railroad Cow Tunnel Dry Bridge124 Main Street
This passageway lies somewhat hidden behind the hustle and bustle of Dunkin Donuts and leads to the Freeman Centennial School athletic field areas. It is speculated that the tunnel may have been constructed to allow passage of cattle or other livestock between the north and south sides of the railroad tracks to pasture for grazing without having to cross the tracks. Ken Cooper formerly with the Norfolk Highway Department recalls that there previously was much more headroom in the tunnel than exists in the crawl space of today. Ken is 6'4" tall and he used to be able to stand fully upright in the tunnel. The debris build up on the floor has obviously not been cleaned/removed in quite some time. The tracks and this tunnel are part of the original Norfolk County Railrod line between Blackstone and Boston built circa 1848 and opened for service in 1849. "Bridges" of this type were typically stone lined tunnels under roads, rail tracks, etc. and because they carried no water and were not drains, they were called dry bridges.
The Norfolk Grange Hall28 Rockwood Road
The Grange Hall was originally built as a Baptist Church in 1863 and used for services for 54 years up until 1918. The land was purchased for the church in 1860 for the sum of $100 by Samuel P. Blake and Lewis G. Miller from Stephen and Fanny Campbell of Racine, WS. The land was once part of the old Holbrook farm of James and Samuel Holbrook. As the Baptist population dwindled at the beginning of the century, the building was sold to the Norfolk Grange in 1921. When in 1922 the Norfolk Town Hall burned and was not replaced, many activities that would normally have been held there were conducted at the Grange Hall from 1922 to 1949. The Grange Hall became the town meeting room, the voting place and the hall where school graduations, plays and dances took place. Norfolk's Roman Catholic congregation held services here from 1947 to 1950 and even the town library was housed here, in the rear of the building, from 1922 to 1956.
The North School / Norfolk Library139 Main Street
The little red section of this photo was the North End School and was previously located at the corner of Cleveland and Fruit Streets. the empty building was moved to its present location on the town hill in 1899, for use as a firehouse and later was again used as a schoolhouse. In the 1950's it became the Norfolk Library. In 2005 as a part of a huge library expansion the old school house was incorporated into the new big library.
The North School / Norfolk Library139 Main Street
An earlier picture of the library - note the full front door enclosure.
The North School / Norfolk Library139 Main Street
An even earlier picture of the library - as a fire house - note the shutters on the upper window, the lack of a lower roof and enclosure at the front door and the then open cupola on the roof showing us that the original shape of the openings were pentagonal unlike the slatted rectangular covers that now hide this space.
The George Thayer House / The Dupee Restaurant15 Rockwood Road
This old farmhouse was probably built in the early 1800s but served as the home of George Thayer and later as the Restaurant of Sarah Dupee from 1880-90. Over the years this building, due to it's excellent location at town center and easy access to the railroad, housed a wide variety of businesses including a railroad hotel, a dry-goods store, Post Office, a Boomer Real Estate office and is currently the home and offices of our town moderator Frank Gross.
The George Thayer House / The Dupee Restaurant15 Rockwood Road
An earlier picture of the George Thayer House / Dupee Restaurant - minus the latter addition to the west side - Also note the early Norfolk Railroad Station and the double set of railroad tracks vs. the single set that runs through town today.
The Levi Mann House84 Seekonk Street
The home that I live at was built in 1860 I believe. The story is that one of the towns first (of 3) selectmen built it, Levi Mann. It was later owned for some time by the "Columbus Outing Club" from Boston who would bring city kids out to the country. At one time another owner used to train boxers on the second floor of the barn here also - I was told that the great John L. Sullivan did spa here a couple of times. The Hovey family owned it for 50 years before me. Chuck Hovey was the police dispatcher. The green building is the main house and the brown building is the barn that was converted to a 2-family in the 1960's. — per Peter C. Diamond (9/04)
Peter's description of his home (above) ties in with other Norfolk Historical Commission's information regarding the Highland Lake area as follows...
It is known that a Mike Deveney ran a training center near the lake, known in later years as the Columbus Outing Club. Many well-known sports figures, mostly boxers and prize fighters trained at the camp. The great John L. Sullivan also visited the camp. During the summer months, at Mr. Deveney's expense, or as he preferred to put it, "at my pleasure", large groups of children from the "slum districts" of Boston were brought out to the lake for a day of fun, games, good food and ice cream in the fresh country air. For further information regarding the history of Highland Lake and other Norfolk's villages - see the "Norfolk Village Histories" section - back at the contents table on the first page of the Historical Commission's website. - Bill Domineau
The Blake House/Blacksmith Shop118 Main Street
The blacksmith shop attached to this house was built in 1865 by the town blacksmith, Levi Blake. Levi died in 1890 and the house was later owned by George F. Campbell who served the town as a selectman and fireman. He also served as the town clerk for many years and based on a picture dated 1910, he also used the shop for blacksmithing purposes.
The Elizabeth Daniels Robinson House111 Main Street
Built in the summer of 1877, this home was first owned by Elizabeth Daniels Robinson. Elizabeth and her husband Joel H. Robinson had farmed together the land later known as the Cook Farm, living in the main house, which is still standing at 260 Main Street (see description of The Robert Ware House/Cook Farmhouse). After Joel's death, Elizabeth sold the farm and moved to this new cottage style house with her daughter Adaline and granddaughter Ella. Soon thereafter, Ella married a black man, John Moulton, who'd been born in slave-holding Virginia in the 1850's. After Elizabeth and Adaline passed away in the 1890's, John, Ella, and their children took up residence here. Over the years this home has provided shelter to a series of modest families with intriguing stories.
The City Mills School House46 Myrtle Street
This is the only old Norfolk School House still standing in its original location. It was constructed in 1885 and architecturally the exterior is in nearly its original condition. The school was established to provide for the education of students from grades 1 through 7. The building was later used as the home of The American Legion Post 335.
The Tramp HouseTown Hill
The Norfolk "lock up" or jail was built in 1886 at a cost of $450.51 on the Town Hill. In the late 1800s many a wandering tramp spent the night in this building. In earlier years tramps were taken in by private citizens who were then reimbursed by the town. Later in its history it was used as an additional classroom for the Norfolk Center School which was located nearby on Union Street, next to the current Federated Church. Students learned sloyds, carpentry and home economics in the old lock up.
Job Dupee House69 North Street
According to the 1860 US Census and 1865 Massachusetts census, Job Dupee was a farmer.
Job grew up in Wrentham/North Wrentham and was related to the wider Dupee family who owned different parcels in North Wrentham in the mid 19th century. He bought various pieces of land on what is now North Street in 1849 and built the home at 69 North Street. He lived there until his death in 1866. His wife, Clarissa, continued living there for some or all of the remaining time before her death in 1887. In 1889, their heirs sold the house and land to Charles W. Adams, Jr. His father, Charles W. Adams, Sr., was a bootmaker from Medway. Grizzly Adams, the very famous California mountain man, born in Medway John Adams ( 1812-1860), was part of this family of bootmakers. The family was also descended from Presidents John Adams of Quincy. The 1880 US Census says Charles Jr. was also a bootmaker, although by 1900 he was working at the nearby Stony Brook "Shoddy Mill." In 1900, Adams sold the house to Lillie H. Oliver, a wealthy young woman from Brookline.
The 1900 US Census lists Frank Kilpatrick, an Irish immigrant, as Oliver's farm foreman and a member of her household. Not coincidentally, Frank Kilpatrick and his family are also listed as residing at North Street in Norfolk in the same census. It would seem that Oliver, after purchasing the house from Adams in 1899, sent her farm foreman out to Norfolk to live and work the farm. In 1911, Kilpatrick bought the land from his employer with the help of a small mortgage from her (by then, Oliver had married and was named Lillie H. Oliver Poor in the deed). Kilpatrick paid the mortgage off within the same year, then gave the house to his son, Francis R. Kilpatrick. Francis R. Kilpatrick got his own mortgage from Wrentham Cooperative Bank for $2100, which he may have used to do some renovations. The house remained Francis R. Kilpatrick's until 1953, when he sold it to the Chaffee family. Dorothy Chaffee is a well known artist and still a resident in the town of Norfolk. The Chaffees sold the house to the Small family in the early 1980s. In the 1990s, the Smalls subdivided their lot and sold it for development. That development is now Kilpatrick Way.
Perrigo House242 Main Street
James Sr., (1737 – 1808) and James Jr., (1771 -1843) Perrigo settled in North Wrentham just before the turn of the Nineteenth Century. They were both clockmakers by trade, primarily majestic grandfather clocks. The elders used wooden gears and the son’s metal. One of the latter may be viewed at the Dedham Historical Society. James Jr,’s elder brother was a blacksmith, John married Sally Gould and plied his trade at 234 Main St which the Centennial Committee identified as a Perrigo House and was it demolished in 2015.
Bertha Fales identified the Perrigo Farm as Lot Three of the Sawmill Dividend granted to William and Joseph Pettee, ancestors of Elizabeth (Pettee) Perrigo, wife of James Perrigo Sr. Fales describes the Farm as extending from Main Street to Maccane’s (Kenney) Pond and North to Samuel Dunton’s (Cressbrook) with Main Street running through it, then east to the Road to E. Medway (Rockwood Road).
In the 1790’s James Sr., transferred a sizable portion of the land to his son. When Lyman E. drew a map of the North Parish (North Wrentham) for his cousin. Franklin Mann, his map showed the residences of the Perrigos, father and son on the north side of Main Street just west of Medway Street where the Felix Ravinski Family lived during most of the Twentieth Century and which is currently occupied by Robert Ravinski, Felix’s grandson.
The Wrentham School District map confirms this site and marks it as James Perrigo Jr., Estate which correlates with James Jr.,’s death in 1843.
Rev. John Clevealand House5 Cleveland Street
This is the house of the Rev. John Clevealand who was the first official minister of the North Wrentham Parish. He presided over the first ceremonies at the new Meeting House whose construction began in 1795. Later in life, Clevealand moved to the Parsonage across from Town Hill on Union Street now owned by the Federated Church. The home was named Fruitland Farm. The barn with the sign "Fruitland Farm" came down in the 1938 hurricane. In about the 1970's the house was owned by Fred and Charlotte Fischner. Fred was a Selectman for a short time.
Old Colony Railroad Bridge AbutmentsRoute 115 at Everett St.
Both bulwarks were demolished around 2009, although the soil bankments still exist
The two massive stone block bulwarks on Route 115 are remnants on the once proud Wrentham Branch Line of The Old Colony RR Company. This single-track line opened to passenger service on December 1, 1890. It ran from Walpole Junction - now Cedar Junction - to North Attleboro via Wrentham. This branch reached the 4-mile line from North Attleboro to Attleboro, which was opened in January 1871, thus connecting with the Boston and Providence main line at Attleboro. On Feb. 15, 1892, The Old Colony extended the line north 5.7 miles Walpole Junction via Common St., East Walpole to Norwood Central Junction. On June 27, 1903 the Old Colony opened another extension of the Wrentham Branch 4.66 miles from North Attleboro to Adamsdale Junction. A train could run from South Station, Boston to Providence via Norwood Central, Norwood Junction, East Walpole, Wrentham, North Attleboro and Pawtucket. There were two commuter trains from Providence to Boston each morning and two came from Boston in the late afternoon. There was also a "paper" train from Providence each morning at 5:30 AM, bringing papers to Boston. It stopped at Pondville Hospital each day to pick up milk. Pondville and Cedar Stations were flag stops. The driveway to the Gould's estate at 46 Everett St. was the original roadway up to the Pondville Railroad Station, which stood on the east side of the track. The Gould's house was moved from Foxboro when Route 95 was being constructed. A road from Hill Street led to the freight station on the west side of the track. The freight station is now a private residence on Hill Street. Passenger service, on the Wrentham Branch Line, was discontinued circa 1938/39. Freight services continued for some time longer though, up into the 1960s. The tracks were removed and the roadbed abandoned in the 1970s. Jay Easton the Walpole Post Master, selectman and former Station Master and Freight Agent at the South Walpole railroad station was able to buy the Pondville Station (as well as the Cedar Station) when passenger service no longer ran on the line and moved it to a site on Route 1 where it became the "Headd Inn Diner" (The Headd family had previously owned "Mike's Truck Stop" on Route One in Wrentham.) and it still stands today as part of a Chinese restaurant on Route 1.