North Country This Week

NORWOOD – Over the past 150 years, the Village of Norwood has certainly maintained its moniker “A Nice Place to Live.”

With the arrival of New England farmers in the early 1800s, the railroads in the 1850s and the automobile in the early 1900s, Norwood has made its mark in the North Country.

Similar to the village’s centennial celebration, the 150th birthday celebration will be combined with the annual Norwood Fire Department Fourth of July festivities on July 3 and 4 concluding with a huge fireworks display.

“I feel it is important to recognize our past, especially landmark anniversaries. I want the residents of our Village to understand how this Village has evolved through history,” stated Mayor Tim Levison.

The July 3 schedule features:

• Music on the Green from noon to 7 p.m. 

• Train rides from noon to 5 p.m.

• A Mud Bog for trucks, ATVs and UTVs at noon at the Firemen’s Field

• Air Castles on the Green from 2 to 8 p.m.

• A Block Dance from 7 to 9 p.m.

• Brass Firemen on the Green from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The July 4 schedule features:

• Air Castles on the Green from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Food by the Kiwanis Club on the Green from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• A parade at 1 p.m.

• Demolition Derby at the Firemen’s Field at 1 p.m. - food and beverages will be sold.

• Kiddie Train Rides downtown from 2 to 8 p.m.

• Music on the Green from 2 to 6 p.m.

• Fireworks at dusk.

Interesting History

According to the 1995 publication The Story of Norwood, N.Y. by Susan Lyman, Municipal Historian “the residents of Potsdam Junction were irked for many years by a name that indicated the village was sort of a tail to the Potsdam kite.”

On March 30, 1875, the village board of Potsdam Junction passed a resolution that would change the name from Potsdam Junction to Baldwin. But it was discovered that there was already a post office named Baldwin, Lyman’s writings noted.

On April 5, 1875, a meeting was held to decide on a name. The vote was as follows: 42 votes for Norwood, 19 votes for Potsdam Junction, 12 votes for Onawa, 5 votes for Oakley, and 1 vote for Duck Pond.

In 1913, Norwood was chosen as one of about 20 communities in the entire United States to receive home delivery of mail on what was to be on an experimental basis. Arthur N. Tebo was designated the carrier April 15, 1913. He served in that capacity for a number of years, often making his twice a day rounds on a bicycle. Tebo later became a rural carrier, retiring in 1958. Rural delivery began out of the Norwood post office July 1, 1903 with deliveries on Route 1 and Route 2.

The publication also addressed Norwood’s founding fathers.

It reads: 

“Norwood was founded on the farmland and holdings of three men, James Symonds, Benjamin G. Baldwin, who sold lots and larger holdings east of the Raquette River, and Charles McCarty whose farm lay west of the river. These three men formed the Raquetteville Water Company to develop water power and sell house lots along the river.”

“Perhaps one reason for the friendly feeling which has always existed between the churches of the village stems from these men, Symonds, a Methodist, Baldwin, a Congregationalist, and McCarty, a Catholic, a truly ecumenical founding.”

“The Village of Norwood has survived an earthquake, severe fires, floods and a mild depression but recovered to become a friendly residential village,” wrote Lyman.

Since its inception, Norwood has made a name for itself with the likes of the Norwood Brass Firemen, Norwood Village Green Concert Series, the Norwood Lake Regatta, Norwood-Norfolk Central School, and numerous businesses, groups and organizations.

Street Lights

According to a booklet, titled The Story of Norwood, N.Y. A Century of Progress 1872-1972, the first talk of street lighting took place in 1894 when street lamps were purchased at a cost of $46.17. A Mr. Dutton was hired at $15 monthly to light the lamps installed on Main Street as far as the Congregational Church, on Mechanic Street and a few on Spring Street.

The next lamplighter H. Leete was paid 75 cents per night for filling, lighting and caring for the street lamps. A lamp was placed in front of the Catholic Church on Railroad Street and on the corner of Park and River Streets. The lights were left lit until after the arrival of the last train at 11:35 p.m.

The Law

The booklet notes that the first lawmen in Norwood were also the lamplighters - Mr. Dutton (1884) and H. Leete (1886) and later E.J. Johnson. In 1900, John LaDue was paid $30 to act as night watchman for the period of Oct. 1, 1889 to April 1, 1900 and was later offered the salary of $4 per week if in addition to acting as night police he would also be the custodian of the Music Hall and care for tramps and provide himself with a uniform to wear while on duty and also give a $300 bond. The following year the Norwood Village Board voted to pay $5 weekly to a competent policeman “if one could be found.”

Fire Protection

On Jan. 4, 1876, the Board of Trustees appointed two prominent residents, William Waldron and Loren Ashley to form two fire engine companies of not less than 20 men each and establish fire protection in the village.

Stephen Ducolin, a manufacturer and dealer in stoves and the former owner of a fire engine, was named chief engineer of the Village Fire Department. He was instructed to buy 8 dozen pails and 4 axes.

The source of the water supply for fire fighting was reservoirs on the corner of Park Street, Prospect Street and near Main Street and on Depot Street near the American House.

The Norwood Library

On May 10, 1912, Miss Carolyn Webster, State Organizer of Libraries, came to Norwood for an afternoon meeting at the office of George Harris, the booklet reads. The first library board elected June 12, 1912 were president, George Harris for as term of one year, vice president Mrs. Ella Pease, term four year; secretary Miss Louise Fletcher, term three years; treasurer Fred R. Smith, term two years and chairman of the book committee; Dr. Leo P. Regan, term five years. Other committee members were John Turner, Paul Walker, J.B. Pringle, W.T. Leonard, Eugene McCarthy, Ada Smith, and Frances McNulty.

Mrs. Ella Pease consented to act as librarian at a salary of $50 per year.

Groups and Organizations

• American Legion Auxiliary Clark-Robinson Post Unit 68 founded in May 1921

• Luther Priest Women’s Relief Corps 2016 organized Nov. 23, 1984

• The Norwood Historical Association formed Oct. 26, 1961

• The Kiwanis Club of Norwood formed ion 1937 and chartered April 25, 1938

• The Norwood Chamber of Commerce formed Oct. 14, 1930

• Norwood Golden Agers Club formed in the fall of 1967

• The Norwood Literary Club organized in 1935

• Norwood Minor Hockey Association incorporated May 6, 1970

• Lyra Chapter NO. 230, Order of the Eastern Star chartered in 1901

• St. Andrew’s Civics Club organized by Sister Teresa Joseph in 1969

• What Cheer Lodge No, 689 F&AM instituted June 18, 1867.

[img_assist|nid=322234|title=|desc=The Whitney House and Post Office. Photo submitted.|link=none|align=middle|width=1024|height=637]