From the July 2, 1913 edition of the Norwood News:  

THE EARLY HISTORY OF NORWOOD

 

Essay Read by Miss Gertrude McCormick at the Graduating Exercises in Music Hall, Tuesday Evening, June 24, 1913

 

The settlement of Racquettville was started about the year 1845, only sixty-eight years ago. Mr. Benjamin G. Baldwin was a resident of the village at that time. He owned the house where Mr. Willis J. Fletcher now lives. Two years later, in 1847, the Rutland Railroad was started, when Mr. Baldwin donated to this company fifteen acres of land with a right of way across his farm. In the fall of 1850, the railroad was completed and all the citizens of Racquettville were given a free ride on the first train that passed throuogh. Besides giving the village land for the railroad, Mr. Baldwin donated the park on Main street and was responsible for the erection of a depot. Other early settlers who are still residents of the village are Mr. Richard Shaughnessy and Mr. Giles Holbrook.

Five years later, the New York Central Railroad was built to Racquetville and the name was changed to Potsdam Junction. The railroad has since been built to Massena and the name of our village changed to its permanent name "Norwood." Henry Ward Beecher's novel "Norwood." which was being read a great deal at that time had considerable infulence on the naming of the village. The Norwood and St. Lawrence railroad was built to Waddington in 1909, making Norwood a very busy railroad center.

Nature donated to our village a river, across which was erected a dam with a fall of eight feet, affording a valuable water power, giving rise to mills, the Norwood Lumber Company, the flouring mill of Hiram Rodee, and a few others. The mills and railroads gave employment to the settlers, who came here to live. Soon the land was laid out into lots and streets. A postoffice was erected in January, 1847, with Mr. Wyman M. Fuller as the first postmaster. In 1872, twenty-five years later the village became incorporated.

In the year 1871, and following several destructive fires destroyed a large portion of the business establishments on Main and Mechanic streets.

In August of 1885, occurred a most terrifying cyclone. About twenty minutes before the storm came, a dark blue cloud was seen. The trees were motionless, the birds stopped signing and men and women hurried to their homes. The cloud drew nearer with a roaring sound, and the air was immediately filled with hailstones and broken boards. The Rutland railroad bridge was lifted from its foundation and was carried some thirty or forty feet down stream and dropped into the river. A Mrs. David Fitzgivens and Mr. Michael Martin were killed, and about fifty thousand dollars worth of damage done.

The Music Hall was erected in 1889, on the park. The town and village shared equally in the expense.

In the spring of 1870, the village and a small part of town of Norfolk was made into the Union school district No. 1, consisting of four grades. The building was erected where Mr. Vance's double house stands. A few years ago it was moved and is now used as the fireman's hall. This was our first school building. It became too small to accommodate the pupils, so in 1884 a brick structure was built on Prospect Hill, and in 1902 this building was enlarged. In 1886, our school was made into a regents school.

The State Bank of Norwood was organized in 1887, with a capitol of $25,000. The bank has always been a very prosperous institution, under its able manager, Mr. F.L. Smith. The same year a newspaper was started called "The Norwood News," under Mr. B.G. Parker, who conducted it for about five years, when it was purchased by Mr. F.R. Smith and Mr. C.H. Martin. It is now owned by Mr. A.H. Nickerson, who bought it three years ago. The circulation of this paper compares favorably with other newspapers of the county.

The first church of Norwood was the Methodist, organized in 1855. The services were generally held in the school house. In 1861 the Congregationalists joined with the Methodist and a church was built on Main street, where the Congregational Church now stands. Six years later the Methodist withdrew and erected the present building on Prospect street. The Congregational Church has always remained where it was built in 1861. But a few years ago it was remodeled into a very pretty and attractive building.

St. Phillips Mission or the Episcopal Church was formed February 7, 1874. Services were held for a time in the Congregational Church. 1893 a brick church was constructed on Main Street.

The Catholic Church was founded about the year 1878. A simple wood structure was erected on Railroad Street. About five years ago through the ardent efforts of Rev. Father O'Brien, a new magnificent marble church was erected on Park Avenue. Now Norwood has one of the most beautiful Catholic Churches in the country.

The Free Methodist Church was built in 1910 on Park Street. It is a small wooden building.

The most important article manufactured in Norwood is paper. A paper mill was built just above the bridge in 1905, by Mr. Frost. The mill employs over one hundred men, turning out several tons of paper every day. Other important factories are Sash & Door factory and Casket factory and Norwood Foundry and Machine Ship.

The New Whitney House, which is considered as one of the best hotels in Northern New York, brings much travel through our village.

Our village is furnished light by the electric light plant at Yaleville. The water and sewer system gives us plenty of water and protection in time of fire by the help of our well organized Fire Department.

The fine cement walks, make the streets clean and sanitary. Above all are the pretty lawns and well kept up trees, especially our beloved school lawn, which is so faithfuly cared for by Mrs. Barnard.

It is an undisputed fact that we have one of the most beautiful school lawns in the state.

All these unite to make Norwood one of the prettiest and most prosperous villages in St. Lawrence County.

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