New Innkeepers at the Manor House

The Power of Intention   By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo Three years ago, the new Manor House Innkeeper Sheila Blanchette was spending her days in a cubicle crunching numbers for EBSCO Publishing in Ipswich, Mass., and writing a novel at night about an accountant who daydreamed of becoming an innkeeper. Her protagonist’s lifelong dream soon became […]

Rare Visitor Summers in Norfolk

A pair of sandhill cranes spent the summer in Norfolk, according to reports that have filtered in over the past months. On September 22, photographer Savage Frieze captured this one on film on private land in Norfolk’s northwest quadrant. It is an adult Lesser sandhill crane in summer plumage. The birds are famous for the elaborate dancing […]

Sign of Summer’s End, Town Beach Closes

Swimming at the town beach at Tobey Pond is over for the year, after a final weekend of activity. At 8 a.m. on Monday, September 14, a crew from the Norfolk Public Works department arrived to ready the beach for winter. They hauled the float onshore, carted off the lifeguard chairs and picnic tables to the […]

Norfolk Artists and Friends Show

The second weekend of August saw the Norfolk Artists and Friends seventh annual August Arts Weekend, featuring an art show held at the Battell Stoeckel Art Gallery. Over 20 artists, working in a variety of mediums, exhibited in the show. The Yale School of Music’s Norfolk Chamber Music Festival sponsored the weekend, and a portion […]

Used Book Sale Supports Norfolk Library

The book buying was fast and furious at this year’s book sale, sponsored by the Library Associates. Blessed with fine weather, the sale was very successful, with totals expected to be close to last year’s. The Library Associates are grateful to all the volunteers who helped out with the sale, and especially to Hatsy Taylor, […]

Americorps Puts Boots on the Ground

Team of Volunteers Helps Land Trust Clear a New Trail   By Susannah Wood The weather forecast was for hot and sticky all week, but the six lean and fit members of the Buffalo 5 Team came into town ready to do all the tasks the Norfolk Land Trust put in front of them: drainage […]

How Did Dolphin Pond Get Its Name?

A Look into Norfolk’s Past   By Ryan Bachman In December 1803 Norfolk resident Peter Freedom received a crushing verdict from the Litchfield County Court. Because of debts incurred by his recently deceased father, Dolphin, the son was ordered to sell the family farm in southwestern Norfolk. The 40-acre property had only been in the […]

Husky Meadows Farm Grows a Cornucopia of Vegetables

By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo The former Curtiss Farm is once again a full working enterprise. The property, just past the three-way intersection of Ashpohtag Road, Lovers Lane and Loon Meadow Drive, is doing its heritage proud. An acre and a half of land is now dedicated to growing vegetables. The rather impressive garden sits at […]

Wind Turbines Loom over Route 44

The Flagg Hill wind turbines—the first to be erected in the State of Connecticut—seemed to rise up into the sky overnight. This picture was taken on Route 44 coming up the hill toward Norfolk from Winsted, on August 20. A small American flag on the turbine is just visible in the picture. Photos by Bruce […]

Tobey Pond—From Glacial Kettle to Local Swimming Hole

By Christopher Sinclair Several thousand years ago a glacier inched its way through the southern Berkshires, and upon its retreat left the patch of land that would later become Norfolk, Connecticut, with a parting gift. Tobey Pond, the locally famous and universally beloved swimming hole, is that gift —nearly as pristine now as it was […]