• Proposed Manor House Expansion Draws Large Crowd

    Many differing views on effect of change in town center By Susan MacEachron Norfolk residents filled the Botelle School Hall of Flags on a very cold evening on Tuesday, Jan. 14, to attend the Planning & Zoning (P&Z) public hearing regarding a modification to the special permit granted in 1996 to the property known as […]

  • From All Angels

    Throughout the month of February, Garet&Co will be returning to Norfolk to present their third annual performance in the Battell Chapel, where each piece will be set in the round.  In this presentation, titled “From All Angles”, the audience will witness the translation of three of the works presented at their fall show.   “Can’t Keep […]

  • Norfolk Then

    Pictured here is the house built in 1898 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Spofford as their summer home. The son of Ainsworth Spofford, Librarian of Congress, Charles Spofford was an electrical engineer, who would be hired in 1902 to manage London’s underground railway system, converting it from steam to electricity. The Spoffords engaged the architect […]

  • Sweets on the Green

    A Decade of Decadent Desserts By Andra Moss How is your naughty versus nice rating? Those needing to influence Santa with an especially impressive treat should grab their stockings and head to the Norfolk Historical Society (NHS) for the 10th Annual Cake Auction on Saturday, Dec. 7.     Now a Norfolk holiday tradition, the event was […]

  • Artist Tom Burr Brings His Torrington Project to an End

    Performances celebrate studio closing By Stephen Melville Norfolk resident and artist Tom Burr organized a day of performances and exhibition at his studio in Torrington on Oct. 26, marking an end to what he has called “The Torrington Project.” For the past three and a half years, Burr has rented a vast—15,000 square foot—former industrial […]

  • New Meanings for a Monument

    Light Shines on the Memorial Green By Joe Kelly On Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, a crowd of about 100 gathered for the rededication of Norfolk’s World War 1 memorial, artfully restored under the auspices of the Norfolk Community Association. It was sunny. Temperatures in the low ‘60’s. Another day of no rain. Everyone talked […]

  • Norfolk Then…

    This 1920s postcard shows Memorial Green just after the War Memorial, designed by Alfredo Taylor, was built. It was Taylor’s wife Minna who first proposed that a memorial “heroes grove” be planted on the small lot of land known as the Triangle opposite the Catholic Church. The lot had been left empty with the demolition […]

  • Restored war memorial to be celebrated on veterans day

    plaque now honors all who served By Patricia Platt A World War I monument, designed by Alfredo Taylor and erected on Norfolk’s Memorial Green in 1921, bears the inscription, “for those who gave and those who offered their lives for liberty, the people of Norfolk have built this monument and crowned it with the Liberty […]

  • NLT Tail Ablaze with Runners

    More than 120 runners enjoyed perfect fall weather as they wound their way through picturesque Barbour Woods in the 11th Annual Norfolk Land Trust Trail Race. Some chose to add a challenging loop over Haystack Mountain, while the half-marathoners just kept moving on up—topping out at over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. *photo by June […]

  • Can you spot the Real Curler?

    There was movie magic ice to be made, and the pros of the Norfolk Curling Club were the first to get the call. In October, NCC’s Jon Barbagallo, Lou Barbagallo, Rachel Barbagallo, Mark Walsh, Harvey Chalmers and Phill West were hired by a production company to make curling ice at a Rhode Island hockey rink […]

  • Norfolk Then…

    This 1917 photograph is a timely reminder of the long struggle fought by many dedicated women for basic civil liberties, including the right to own property, hold public office, sit on juries, participate in public assemblies and vote. The group of 25 suffragists—20 women and five men—gathered on the porch following their meeting with Congressman […]

  • The chicken who wanted to be a star and other tales from a norfolk movie set

    By Andra Moss Secrets and small towns don’t often pair well, and Norfolk is a small town. Yet, for eight weeks this summer, a crew of nearly 100 people quietly transformed Tim and Paula Webster’s 1908 Norfolk farmhouse into a film set for a feature-length production, all the while staying under the local radar.  It […]

Articles

Is the Fashion Industry Committing Hydrocide?

Norfolk environmental program highlights the need for sustainable fashion by Kelly Kandra Huhges Earth Day may be celebrated every year on April 22, but every day is a great day to consider how personal choice impacts the Earth. A recent joint program of the Norfolk Church of Christ and the Norfolk Library virtually welcomed documentary […]

Norfolk Ambulance to Initiate Administrative Support Groups

Friends needed to keep friends safe By Andra Moss When emergency strikes in Norfolk, a cadre of volunteers comes running. Usually, first on the scene of a medical emergency is the Norfolk Ambulance crew, an all-volunteer corps that provides community protection 365 days a year. Ambulance volunteers have proven their dedication to the community for […]

Board of Selectman April Meeting

By Ruth Melville Because of the Covid pandemic, the Cemetery Committee, which oversees Norfolk’s three municipal cemeteries—Grantville, Pond Town and South Norfolk—hasn’t met in over two years. At their April 6 meeting, the Board of Selectmen (BoS) appointed Linda Perkins to replace on the committee Pete Mulville, who died last July. Also on the committee […]

Botelle Students Swim into “The Little Mermaid, Jr.” to Waves of Applause

By Kelly Kandra Hughes The Botelle Elementary School PTO had one goal in mind when they decided to stage a production of The Little Mermaid Jr. the first weekend in April – to provide positive experiences for the children. As an audience member opening night, I can unequivocally attest they not only met their goal, […]

Living with History at the Wilcox Tavern

This Old Norfolk House This is Part 2 of this history. Part 1 can be found here: https://nornow.org/2022/04/12/the-wilcox-tavern-house/ By Michael Selleck The era of the Wilcox Tavern had come to an end with the death of the widow Wilcox in 1815. Her children were all established in their own lives and her son was ready […]

Honoring Our Military Heroes

Two names to be added to memorial remembrances this year By Brian Hutchins Have you noticed that the plaques of the World War I monument at Memorial Green have been missing? The Norfolk Veterans Affairs Office, with help from all veterans in town, are adding a name to the memorial plaque this year, and also […]

Farmers Market Makes Plans for the Future

New generation of market planners needed for continuity Text by Jude MeadPhoto by Lisa Auclair As the weather warms and gardens get planted, thoughts naturally turn to the Norfolk Farmers Market. For the past 16 springs, the community has looked forward to the excitement of opening day, knowing the season will bring plenty of fresh […]

Well-Known Norfolk Author Publishes Her First Memoir

Text by Patricia PlattPhoto courtesy of Courtney Maum Norfolk’s acclaimed author, Courtney Maum, will launch her first memoir, The Year of the Horses, at the Norfolk Library on May 3, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. During the event, she and author Elisa Altman will explore how Maum’s love of horseback riding helped her regain physical and […]

Grassroots Group Continues Opposition to New Asphalt Plant in Canaan

Organization has new name and new funding By John Coston Residents fighting a proposed asphalt plant in East Canaan have a new name, a broader mission and a dedicated funding source.  The Blackberry River Valley Protection Alliance, Inc., (BRVPA) is the new name for Stop the Asphalt Plant (STAP). With a wider focus and newfound […]

Meet Jen Pfaltz: The New Manager of the Norfolk Hub

A Fresh Face in Station Place Text by Patricia PlattPhoto by Kelly Kandra Hughes After four years in operation, the Hub has a new manager, Jen Pfaltz. “When the Hub first opened, no one knew just what it would become,” said Dawn Whalen, the executive director of the Norfolk Foundation. “Since then the Hub has […]

The Norfolk Community Art Space Is Coming Back at Botelle School

Art for Everyone By Virginia Coleman-Prisco Trends come and go, but art endures. When Botelle School needed some upgrades in the 1990s, Norfolk community members decided to work together on a project that would benefit all of Norfolk, not just Botelle students. And so they created the Norfolk Community Art Space. According to former PTO […]

“No Mow May” Movement Wants to Protect Spring Habitats of Local Pollinators

It’s Only Natural By Kelly Kandra Hughes The Norfolk Conservation Commission, the Church of Christ and the Land Trust have a request this coming May: Please don’t mow your lawn! The initiative known as “No Mow May” is a growing movement across the United Kingdom and the United States. The reason behind it is simple—not […]