Norton High School - Sojourn Yearbook (Norton, MA)

Page 13 text:

of Norton varies slightly from one hundred and seventy-six feet to sixty feet above sea level. In its formative years, Norton was primarily a farming community, with farmers doubling as weavers, millers, sawyers, and iron mongers. The first saw mill was started in 1710; a grist mill, in 1714; and thirty years later, a fulling mill. Norton ' s pioneer industry was the manufac- ture of nails from iron; this iron works remained in Norton for ap- proximately one hundred years. After the nineteenth century, many industries, such as the copper works, the straw hat factory, and the friction match factory, sprang up, flourished for a short time, and then moved elsewhere. In 1810 there was established a cotton mill for making cloth; in 1870, a wool combing mill. Jewelry manufacture began in 1871 when the Sturdy Jewelry Shop was built on the site of the old iron works. In this present day and age, Norton still has its important in- dustries; but the general character The Old Saw Mill in East Norton Railroad Station, Chartley, Mass. of the town remains residential. The majority of the homes in Norton are single family homes owned by the occupants. The town, today, also contains farming areas — there is one particular dairy farm with over one hundred milking cows. Today, Norton ' s population is spread throughout the town and divided into six districts: Chartley. Barrowsville, Winnecunnet, Norton Grove, Norton Center, and East Nor- ton. Two of the sections have their own post offices. Norton also has a large natural pond, Winnecunnet; and an artificial body of water, the Reservoir. Much of the town is woodland and Cedar swamps, and today Norton can boast of one of the finest Town Forests in the state. Thus, the people of Norton are proud of their town which offers a convenient location, delightful sur- roundings, and attractive opportuni- ties. 9

Page 12 text:

Chartley, Massachusetts . . . early 1900 ' s Soon after the town ' s incorporation, suffrage was granted to property owners without restriction as to church membership. Non- church members were re- quired to attend church and pay taxes for its support. This requirement for support of the church lasted until ap- proximately 1833. Now, the voting regula- tions state that one must be a citizen of the United States, and must be twenty-one years of age, able to read and write English, and must be a resident of the state for one year, and of the town for six months preceding the election. The final require- ment is that a citizen must register at the Town Clerk ' s office. The town government is now administered by a Board of Selectmen, consist- ing of three members, one of whom is elected each year for a term of three years. The only required qualifica- tion for a selectman is that he must be a registered voter of the town. Between town meetings, the Selectmen su- pervise the affairs of the town in accordance with the previously determined poli- cies. The first United States Census in 1790 reported 1428 persons residing in Norton; the Census in 1950 listed 4401 persons. The pop- ulation in the 1960 report, under the preliminary Cen- sus, was 6806 persons. The township of Norton contains 29.4 square miles. It is the flattest town in the state of Massachusetts. The elevation A. H. Sweet and Son, W ooden Box Factory — started in 1884 —

Page 14 text:

CHURCHES The Congregational Parish (Unitarian) was the first church within the limits of Norton. Its first meeting house was built in 1710 on the Common in the center of town. The house of the first minister, the Reverend Joseph Avery, was built in 1711. This first parsonage is pic- tured on the town seal. The bell in the church was bought from Paul Revere and Son in 1810. The present church building was constructed in 1835. Today, the minister of the Unitarian Church is the Reverend James Z. Hanner. Congregational Unitarian Church The Chartley Methodist Church, for- merly the Methodist Episcopal Church, had its beginnings in 1873 when the Reverend E. D. Hall from Attleboro held meetings in private homes. The chapel was erected in 1875 and dedicated in 1876. The first resident minister was the Reverend James Biram, who resided in the Judge Leonard House at Chartley Corner. The present minister of the Chartley Methodist Church is the Reverend Levy Robinson. The Chartley Methodist Church 10