[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 6 (Monday, January 10, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E18]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN HONOR OF THE TOWN OF NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS, AND IN RECOGNITION OF 
                   ITS 150TH ``BIRTHDAY'' CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEPHEN F. LYNCH

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 10, 2022

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Town of 
Norwood, Massachusetts, and in recognition of its 150th ``birthday'' 
celebration.
  What is now the Town of Norwood began as a cluster of small mills and 
farms in the southernmost district of the Town of Dedham, 
Massachusetts, which was founded in 1636. The district quickly evolved 
into a self-contained village, and, as early as 1717, its residents 
sought to create their own place of worship. They established a 
parish--known as the ``Second Parish'' or ``South Parish''--in 1728, 
with Reverend Thomas Balch becoming its first resident pastor in 1736.
  Although the village was a distinct community, it remained part of 
Dedham for more than a century. It finally separated from its mother 
town amid heated education and taxation disputes, and it was 
incorporated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as the Town of 
Norwood in 1872.
  At the turn of the twentieth century, the efforts of George Willett--
a magnate and Progressive Reformer--led to a new town charter, which 
was approved by voters in 1914. With this new charter, Norwood became 
the first town in New England and only the twelfth in the nation to 
adopt the ``Town Manager'' form of government, placing the day-to-day 
business of the community in the hands of a management professional.
  Much has happened since then, but the core of Norwood's community 
remains unchanged. Religious institutions, civic committees, 
recreational facilities, and volunteer associations provide the means 
for all Norwood residents to thrive in the twenty-first century. So, 
Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to take the floor of the House 
today to recognize the Town of Norwood, Massachusetts, as it prepares 
to celebrate its 150th ``birthday''--the anniversary of its 
incorporation as the Town of Norwood in the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts.

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