Norton

Located in southeastern Massachusetts, the college town
of Norton has changed considerably since its inception
in 1711. What first began as a small agricultural community
soon turned into a town of small industries and businesses,
and eventually into what it is now--a comfortable bedroom
town with a history as interesting as it is long.
Norton chronicles the changes that have taken place
over the years. Readers can learn about the unique histories
of Norton Center, Barrowsville, Chartley, East Norton,
Meadowbrook, and Winnecunnet--the charming villages
that make up Norton. Winnecunnet Pond has been a center
of recreational activities for years, and is said to have been
a fishing and hunting spot for King Phillip. Early images
of Wheaton College document the growth of what would
become the largest landowner in town, as well as a significant
influence in its history. One also learns in this volume about
early industry, religion, and social life in Norton, but most
importantly, the people--immigrants and native-born who
made Norton grow and thrive into a community. Norton has
become a town with a rich history and a strong sense of both
its past and its future.

Historians George A. Yelle and Ruth E. Goold have compiled over 200 vintage photographs from the collection of the Norton Historical Society to bring alive the days of simpler times. Norton spans one hundred years, from 1870 to 1970, and offers us a nostalgic trip into the past.