How a Norfolk Man Came to be Chased by Bears in the Ozarks
A Look Into Norfolk’s Past Text by Andra MossPhoto Courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society Grand adventures are often thought to be reserved for the young. One early Norfolk resident, however, embarked at the somewhat ripe age of 38 on an epic journey into the wilds of the Missouri Territory. His traveling companion became a […]
Tour de Forest Rides Again
Photo by West Lowe Fifty-one riders of all ages showed up for this year’s annual Tour de Forest, a 13-mile bike ride over dirt and paved roads, past lakes and fields throughout town, and on into Great Mountain Forest. Saturday, Oct. 9, was a good day for a bike ride, overcast but with no rain. […]
Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Photo by Shaw Israel Izikson/winstedphoenix.org On Nov. 11, traditional Columbus Day, a group of Norfolk residents gathered together to celebrate the new federal holiday, Indigenous Peoples’ Day. After meeting at noon on the village green, the group walked in procession to “speaker’s rock” in Barbour Woods, where they offered songs, poems and prayers in honor […]
Cultural Enrichment Programs Return to Botelle as COVID Restrictions Loosen
Getting Back to Normal By Ann DeCerbo On Oct. 13, Botelle students gathered on the gym bleachers for “The Wacky Science Show” with scientist Mike Bent. As promised, the show delivered the “magic of theatre, attention-grabbing comedy, and scientific truths” that thoroughly engaged and entertained the audience of children and their teachers. The interactive science […]
Town Landfill Solar Farm on Track for Construction
By Dave Beers In 1995, the town landfill was full, and a request to the state for a landfill expansion was denied owing to concerns over groundwater contamination. The following year, the transfer station as we know it today was built. Many still endearingly still refer to it as ‘The Dump.” Twenty-five years later, the […]
Finding Beauty and Inspiration in Nature Forms and Energy of Life
Elizabeth Knowles creates from experience and observation Text by Michael CobbPhoto courtesy of Elizabeth Knowles Multimedia artist Elizabeth Knowles is intrigued by the beauty found in natural forms. Her work invites viewers to consider the connections between the macro and micro. For Knowles, the patterns of the Milky Way are just as interesting as the […]
Battell Fountain Is (Nearly) Back — Bring on the Band
Months-long restoration nearing completion by Andra Moss Since 1889, the Joseph Battell Memorial Fountain has greeted travelers as they approached the Norfolk village green from the south on Litchfield Road. The fountain’s unveiling on Sept. 27 of that year was heralded by the horns of a 24-piece military band (twice, in fact, once at 3 […]
Diego Ongaro’s Latest Feature Film Shown at Cannes This Summer
Text by Ruth MelvillePhoto by Jessica Ray Harrison In Diego Ongaro’s new movie, “Down With the King,” a famous rapper, played by real-life rapper Freddie Gibbs, comes to live in the rural Berkshire countryside while he works on his new album. Dissatisfied with the pressures of his professional life, he becomes friends with a neighboring […]
How Crowdsourcing by the People is Putting History Online
Text By Kelly Kandra HughesPhotos Courtesy of the Library of Congress Betsy Garside, a resident of New Mexico with deep family roots in Norfolk, attended many of the Norfolk Library online events throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. She found them “a way to go somewhere fun,” whether it was an authors talk, a Friday afternoon chat […]
Sandhill Spotting
Local birders have been surprised and delighted to spot at least one pair of Sandhill cranes in Norfolk this summer. This is not a bird usually found in the Northeast; they breed all across Canada and into Alaska, as well as in large swaths of the Midwest and the Intermountain West. According to bird enthusiast […]
