Norfolk Then—November 2018
The Welch Memorial Fountain once stood on Greenwoods Road at the entrance to West Side Road, forming a roundabout of sorts, slowing equestrian traffic. Made of local granite, it was erected in 1895 in honor of Dr. William Wickham Welch, Norfolk’s town doctor for 53 years. He was described as “a great night traveler and […]
Norfolk Then—October 2018
This imposing brick building once stood on what is now the site of Meadowbrook Apartments. Designed by architect Ehrick Rossiter, Center School was built in 1915 for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. At that time, Norfolk high school students attended Gilbert School in Winsted. The construction of Center School was made possible through generous […]
Norfolk Then . . .
Marie Kendall took most of her photographs in Norfolk. With four children and a household to manage, she did not venture too far afield. In addition, her husband John’s medical practice likely kept the family close to home. So this photograph offers us a rare glimpse of the Kendall family on an outing to New […]
Norfolk Then . . .
In this photograph, taken about 1890 by Marie Kendall, children gather on the porch of the Kendall house on Greenwoods Road to watch an itinerant organ grinder who has wandered into the village. A popular form of entertainment, the organ grinder would travel from town to town, hoping to earn a few dollars or a […]
Dennis Hill, Photographed by Marie Kendall
Norfolk photographer Marie Kendall took pictures of the beautiful estate on Litchfield Road belonging to Dr. Frederic Dennis and now known as Dennis Hill. In 1907 Dr. Dennis hired architect Alfredo Taylor to design a bungalow at the top of the site with a commanding view. A place to entertain guests, the bungalow was fully […]
Norfolk Then
This photograph by Marie Kendall was digitized from the glass plate negative she made with her view camera in the 1890s. By scanning the original negative, we are able to see the remarkable details of the scene, such as the train in the background, crossing the Litchfield Road overpass (look for the blur just below […]
Norfolk Then . . .
A hundred years ago, it was not unusual for a house to be moved lock, stock and barrel. Often it was a less costly and easier way to relocate one’s home. This house belonged to Winthrop Cone, manager of the Stoeckel Estate, where it is pictured here. Cone later moved the house to Terrace View, […]
Norfolk Then . . .
Time for spring cleaning? Don’t like the view? Move (your house, that is). Although it may seem hard to believe, moving houses was not uncommon a hundred years ago. Indeed, one Norfolk resident recalled the story of a young child arriving home from school to find her house on higher ground, as the soil was […]
Norfolk Then . . .
Monday, March 12, marks the 130th anniversary of the most famous snowstorm in recorded American history, the Blizzard of 1888. Although there have been heavier snowfalls and lower temperatures, the combination of snow, wind and cold of the “Great White Hurricane” has been unmatched in more than a century. The storm paralyzed the East Coast […]
Norfolk Then . . .
One of the earliest photographs of Norfolk was taken on Nov. 2, 1877. Folks coming from Winsted would have travelled by horse and carriage along this road to the center of town. There were no sidewalks to speak of, just dirt paths and occasional boardwalks, as seen on the right. The railroad had just been […]
