Town of Norwood

About Norwood, MA

History

The earliest European settlers of what eventually became the Town of Norwood arrived from Dedham in the late 17th century.  The attraction was the swift moving Neponset River in present day South Norwood near the East Walpole line.  For the next two centuries, the Neponset River was the driving force for the Town's development.  What was originally known as the second parish of Dedham, Norwood became a town of Norfolk County on February 13, 1872. 

In the present day, major corporations have found Norwood's proximity to Boston and access to major east coast population centers to be attractive for business.  The Town is now considered one of the more important manufacturing, suburban-residential, and wholesale and retail trade centers south of Boston.

Geography

Norwood is located in Eastern Massachusetts, bordered by Westwood on the north, Canton on the east, Sharon on the south, and Walpole on the west.  Norwood is 14 miles south of Boston; 15 miiles north of Brockton; 30 miles north of Providence, RI; and 205 miles from New York City.

Norwood is home to 28,746 full-time residents and encompasses 10.55 sq. miles, of which, 10.48 sq. miles are land.

Transportation

Norwood is situation in the Greater Boston Area, which has excellent rail, air, and highway facilities.  Routes 128 and 495 divide the region into inner and outer zones, which are connected by numerous "spokes" providing direct access to the airport, port, and intermodal facilities of Boston.

Highways - Principal highways are Rts. 95, 1 and State Route 1A, which all run between the inner and outer belts circling Boston, Rt. 128 and Rt. 495 respectively.

Rail - Commuter rail service is available to Back Bay Station and South Station in Boston from Windosr Gardens, Norwood Central and Norwood Depot.  Amtrak's passenger service between Boston and New York City stops at the Route 128 Station in nearby Westwood.

Bus - Norwood is a member of the Massachusetts Bay Tranportation Authority (MBTA), which provides fixed route service between Walpole and the Forest Hills Orange Line Station. 

Other - The Norwood Memorial Airport, a Reliever Airport, has two asphalt runways and is an important center of corporate aviation for the greater metropolitan Boston region.