Massachusetts
Norfolk Town
This is a provisional page, here as a starting point for this family community.
We welcome more details, photographs, history, or even a complete re-write.
And of course
web links to your communities web sites.
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Norfolk Town, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Population: 10,500 (& growing)
Administration: Board of Selectmen
Location: 43º7´10"N 71º19´32"W
 The town is governed through a Board of Selectmen, each elected for a three-year term, and is administered on a day-to-day basis by a Town Administrator who is a town employee.
Right: The Town Hall
Norfolk History
With the guidance of Mrs Thelma Ravinski and Betsy Pine
(both of the Historical Commission)
Although first settled in 1669, Norfolk was not incorporated as a town until 1870, when it broke away from Wrentham and other surrounding communities. The area formerly known as 'North Wrentham' has gone through many changes over the years.
The reason for naming it Norfolk? Unknown save for the possibility that it was originally the North part of Wretham and thus 'North folk'? The partition took place in 1869.
Norfolk has a radio station and a cable station for local news whilst there are organisations including The Lions, The Grange, Garden Club and Norfolk Community League. Three churches (one Catholic) and three schools. Every year in June a Community Day is celebrated around the Bandstand.
Norfolk Schools
The Norfolk Public Schools include the new H. Olive Day School on Main Street, for students from pre-Kindergarten through second grade, and the Freeman/Centennial School on Boardman Street, from grades 3 through 6.
After sixth grade, Norfolk students join students from Plainville and Wrentham in the King Philip Regional School District. Grades 7 and 8 attend includes the King Philip North Middle School in Norfolk, while grades 9 through 12 attend the King Philip Regional High School located in the adjacent town of Wrentham, Massachusetts.
Other schools in the area include the Tri-County Vocational High School in Franklin and the Norfolk County Agricultural High School in Walpole.
Local preschools include the Norfolk Elementary school's integrated preschool and two private preschools - The Norfolk Cooperative Preschool and the Norfolk Children's School.
NB:- The King Phillip referred to above would be Metacomet, the Wampanoag Indian son of Massasoit. The King Phillip war fought in this area was a devastating one.
Thanks to John Spinney, Norfolk Public Library for that information. (It was not the King Philip of Spain as I had first suggested!)
TROOP 80 - Norfolk Scouts
Norfolk Cub Scouts Pack 125 is for boys in grades one to five that live north of Main Street. Many special events are held throughout the year such as the rocket launch, the pinewood derby, and the blue and gold banquet. Cubmaster: John Hurley. Another potential for international contact?
More historical notes
by Geri Tasker who teaches in nearby Medfield and Thelma Ravinski of Norfolk Historical Commission.
(Geri has visited her sister parish, Metfield, England)
Settlers, with the agreement of the local Indians, used the lands that had been cleared for grazing their animals, and in 1675 after a disastrous war led by the Indian Sachem King Philip there grew up the area of Wretham. The railroad later serviced the area.
Fires have been the great destroyer of first housing and thus the importance in every community of the fire stations. The New Town Hall was completed in 1998.
 Norfolk County, Massachusetts form an 1895 Atlas
showing the location of Norfolk Town.
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