• 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 […]

  • great blue heron rookeries

    working together to provide sustainable breeding habitats By Jude Mead Great Blue Herons are a familiar sight in Norfolk and are one of the largest of all North American herons, standing up to four feet tall with a wingspan of close to six feet. They are most noticeable in flight as they soar across the […]

  • Norfolk Then…

    Tennis at Town Hall? The building we know as Town Hall was originally the Eldridge Gymnasium, built in 1892. Located within easy walking distance of hotels and boarding houses in Norfolk at the turn of the last century, the Gymnasium was a popular gathering place for both residents and visitors. People played croquet on the lawn […]

  • Looking Back Over the Years

    The End of an Era for Norfolk Now By Colleen Gundlach After 10 years and over 30 issues, Ruth Melville has put on her Norfolk Now editor’s hat for the last time. In June, the paper marked the end of an era with the publication of Ruth’s final issue as one of the executive editors […]

Articles

Bears Invade North Norfolk Homes

One even drained a pitcher of Sangria By Bob Bumcrot Between Memorial Day and mid-July bears have invaded at least seven homes on or near North Street, Doolittle Drive, Lovers Lane and adjacent areas. As usual, the bears came in search of food, often with considerable success. In some cases their gustatory visits were discovered […]

A Passionate Swan Song

A packed hall enthralled by the Tokyo’s last-ever Norfolk concert By Lloyd Garrison Over 700 Tokyo String Quartet loyalists paid over $350 a ticket at the Yale Music Shed on July 6 for one last chance to hear the quartet in Norfolk. Before they played a note, the four were greeted with a standing ovation. […]

Analysis of Norfolk’s Population Changes Reveals Surprises

Periodic increases and decreases evident By Joshua DeCerbo Much of the talk leading up to “Norfolk 2023!,” when, on October 12, the town takes stock of the future, presumes that the town is losing population, along with much of Litchfield County and the rest of the state. But an analysis of several population databases from […]

Glen Chalder to Join Line Up For Norfolk 2023! Event

Helped shape Norfolk’s town plan By Lloyd Garrison Glen Chalder, an authority on the challenges facing small town America, will join National Public Radio’s John Dankosky in leading Norfolk 2013! in Infinity Hall on October 5. Chalder was previously retained by Norfolk to help shape its 2009 Town Plan. He went on to do same […]

Bringing Townspeople Together

Community meal socials to begin in September By David Beers A new committee has been formed in town to provide opportunities for fellowship, conversation and a diverse culinary experience. The Norfolk Community Meal Committee had its first meeting on June 10 and voted to offer monthly potluck community meals to bring the townspeople closer together. […]

Woodlands Creatures Visit Norfolk Library

Karen Rossi’s ethereal work inspires children’s workshop By Matthew Papanek The fun did not stop after the classic car show in Norfolk on July 14. Later that day, up at the Norfolk Library, a parade of woodland creatures made their way through the art reception for Karen Rossi’s show “Woodlands Magic!” Rossi’s art works in […]

International Quartets to Perform in Norfolk This Summer

One of them will be the new in-resident artists By John Funchion The quest for a new recognizable group to replace the venerable Tokyo String Quartet as the in-resident artist/teachers for the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival continues in earnest this season. Glacial patience on the part of Director Paul Hawkshaw and Festival Manager, James Nelson […]

New Forum To Meet Needs of Older Area Residents

Northwest Corner Triad to address crime prevention and safety concerns By Kurt Steele Although it seems like there is little crime risk for older residents in Norfolk, the reality is that everyone is just a few steps away from a fraudulent banking transaction, identity theft or other type of scam. Although less common, older residents […]

Norfolk Artists & Friends to Stage Exhibit

Annual arts show is sponsored by the Chamber Music Festival By Karen Linden Twenty-three artists will show their work in the Norfolk Artists & Friends Art Show, sponsored by the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, between August 9 and 11. The Battell Stoeckel Gallery, known locally as the Art Barn, will again host painters, sculptors, a […]

Farmers Market Plans First Agricultural Fair

By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo The ever evolving Norfolk Farmers Market has a new brainstorm. Their first agricultural fair will be held on Saturday, August 24 in conjunction with the regular farmers market. The event will take place on the lawn of Town Hall as usual, but with extended hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. […]

Funkware Pottery Opens Studio and Workshop in Canaan

An Arty Place with Classes and More By Bob Bumcrot Joey Sage Jablonski marked the twentieth anniversary of her career as a potter at a gala July 6 reception celebrating the opening of Funkware Pottery in Canaan. The large and entirely refreshed building across Route 44 from Stop & Shop in Canaan now contains studio […]

Local Family Starts Goat Cheese Production

The Guindons of Lost Ruby Farm By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo Adair Mali and Antonio Guindon bought their first goat shortly after returning from a year-long trip to Guindon’s homeland of Costa Rica in 2009. Goats were everywhere during Guindon’s youth, and he swore to never own the “loud, stinky animals”, but one of his daughters […]