• 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

When the Heart Speaks, the Lion Roars

Local Lions Club members plan medical mission trip By Doug McDevitt  We are living in a uniquely and distinctly contentious era. One only has to open the pages of the paper, tune into any network news broadcast, peruse your favorite blog or dare to voice an opinion at a favorite watering hole or eatery to […]

New Artisans’ Shop Opens in Canaan

Woodworking, iron works, yard art and more By David BeersPhoto by Bruce Frisch Jesse Morey wanted to experiment in the world of retail after 20 years of self-employment in construction. He opened a pop-up shop across the street from Stop & Shop in Canaan this past December to sell a variety of items made locally […]

The Psychology of Stuff

On April 15, as part of the Mondays at the Hub series, with a record-breaking 22 people in attendance, Dr. Kelly Kandra Hughes gave an engaging presentation on how to simplify one’s life by reducing one’s possessions. Working from the evaluations and feedback, Hughes will be hosting another session on getting rid of stuff later […]

Zoning Approves Agribusiness Proposal

By Wiley Wood Husky Meadows Farm applied for and was granted a special permit to operate a five-bedroom country inn on its Doolittle Drive property. At a public hearing on March 12 before the Planning and Zoning Commission, farm manager Tracy Hayhurst described the proposed inn as a place for weekend-long retreats that would combine […]

Artist and Arborist

By David BeersPhoto by Bruce Frisch Paul-Robert Blackman is very excited about his recent move to Norfolk. Blackman grew up in Torrington with a family that is intimately involved with the arts and the trades. Playing music, acting in community theater and creating art were part of growing up. Also part of growing up was […]

It’s Spring! Animals Awake From Hibernation

By Jude Mead Spring is the time to celebrate more sunshine and warmer days. Spring is also the time when many animals awaken from a long winter’s nap. After spending a season sleeping, they emerge hungry and ready to roam. Making it to spring, however, is not an easy task for some of these animals. […]

Big Bluestem Beauty Highlights Open Space Availability

Shelley Harms wins award for her nature photography By Colleen Gundlach Shelley Harms is no stranger to conservation and land trust issues. A longtime Norfolk resident, she has served on several land trusts in the region and now has won a first-place award for her nature photography. Each year, the Connecticut Land Conservation Council partners […]

Senior Health and Happiness a Priority at Geer Village

Health and Wellness in the Town Budget By Ruth MelvillePhoto: The residents of Geer’s skilled nursing facility gather for a sing-along every Friday afternoon, led by volunteer Barbara Moeckel, left, of Norfolk. When you walk in the door of main building at Geer Village Senior Community, you might think you were in a country lodge. […]

April Programs at the Norfolk Library

Heather Scofield Exhibit at the Norfolk LibraryThe landscape paintings of Heather Scofield will be on display at the library during the month of April. Scofield is part of the Kent School community, where her husband teaches art. In her work she focuses on the sculptural shapes, lines, and varied colors of trees, from birches to […]

The Year-Round Work of Mounting a Festival

By James NelsonPhoto by Bruce Frisch: Harumi Rhodes, violin, and Benjamin Hochman, piano, play a Friday concert at the Music Shed. Melvin Chen and company are all hard at work putting everything in place for the coming Norfolk Chamber Music Festival programs. Yes, we work on Norfolk year-round—planning, organizing, recruiting, fund-raising, marketing, more planning, hiring […]

Trout Fishermen on the Watch for Spring

By Doug McDevitt The sound of crusted snow crunched under my boots. The snow gave me a modicum of traction on the hard-packed ice as I approached a closed gate that displayed an ominous sign stating, “ICE IS NOT SAFE.” I certainly knew that going out on the water now wouldn’t be any fun at […]

Dealing With a Loved One’s Legacy of Stuff

By Kelly Kandra Hughes “If we don’t start taking care of Mother Earth, she’s going to stop taking care of us,” says Norfolk resident Ann Moseley. These thoughts are forefront in Moseley’s mind these days as she recently went through the process of dealing with her father’s and stepmother’s belongings. They both passed away at […]